By Tempests Never Shaken
by Casa Circe
Summary: Pre-series.AU.The Avatar is nowhere to be found. A wounded prince is stranded on the South Pole. A healer tries to help him remember who he should be. This journey, however, will serve as a great test to them both. Zutara.
1. Prologue

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: **Here I go again. I don't know if I'll have enough time to finish this soon. But suffice to say that the idea for this story has been floating in my head for a long time but it took a while for me to get it together. It's going to be shorter than _Sojourn _or _Alliance _but hopefully not lacking in quality. The style will be slightly different though the theme might be similar to my other works. I still hope you enjoy this though. I'll try my best. Please review and let me know.

This prologue might seem confusing first because this is in the form of a dream. And I wanted it to be a little mystical, spiritual, and detached to set the mood for the story. Don't worry, the whole thing won't be like this. The characters will emerge in the next chapter for sure.

**PROLOGUE**

**Look how the pale queen of the silent night  
Doth cause the ocean to attend upon her,  
And he, as long as she is in his sight,  
With her full tide is ready her to honor.  
But when the silver waggon of the moon  
Is mounted up so high he cannot follow,  
The sea calls home his crystal waves to moan,  
And with low ebb doth manifest his sorrow.  
So you that are the sovereign of my heart  
Have all my joys attending on your will;  
My joys low-ebbing when you do depart,  
When you return their tide my heart doth fill.  
So as you come and as you do depart,  
Joys ebb and flow within my tender heart. **

_**- Charles Best, 16**__**th**__** - 17**__**th**__** century **_

A storm.

Dark clouds shrouding the sky. Large, ominous waves crashing against each other. The waters in a vicious rage as they clash, melding against one another, one form with so many shapes and sizes.

The blackness is only pierced by shots of lightning. The world echoes and trembles with the roar of thunder in the distance. Gales are everywhere and the great, powerful winds howl as rain pours relentlessly into the ocean, water meeting with water, the ebbing of the tides growing stronger and stronger. Danger grows with every drop of rain that falls upon the furious ocean.

The cacophony of the typhoon's noises drowns the echoes of distant screams. These nameless cries are banished by the night, swallowed by the gigantic waves, left unheard of, helpless and alone. Nothing but the endless black depths to surround them completely.

Everything is an endless flood. There has never been a storm as wild as this one in the history of the world.

But such are the circumstances that even the ancient spirits have grown restless and wary. The world is not as it once was. So much has changed, and not for the better.

The harmony in which all four nations existed had been grossly disrupted. And the madness which had ensued was a burden to all those who still lived.

As the storm progressed, the rain seemed to fall like endless streams of tears from the heavens as it mourned the sorry state of the world. So much was lost, so much was destroyed, and the world was on the verge of its own tragic end.

One hundred years of bloodshed, pain, and the darkness of human ambition and greed. Wounds inflicted were deeper than ever before. Hapless victims living in fear and uncertainty.

Now, even the Spirits were concerned, divine and detached though they might seem. Some had learned to live among men and so experienced the same hardships. Their consternation grew and the great storm was testimony to their growing involvement in the affairs of mere mortals.

The Ocean was not pleased. As he followed the courses of old, he could feel the pain of the world.

As his silken surface was pierced by the sharp, metal ships, bringing destruction and oppression across his vast distances, he mourned for the world. These hard, cold, heartless metal fleets traversed his waters and found ways of wreaking more havoc among even those living in peace.

The Ocean saw it all.

He felt as other boats set sail, not the steel monsters, but kindly, sturdy wooden ships which were never steered from the proper course. But he was saddened even as these vessels passed along because he knew what bore them hence, away from their homes and towards foreign lands.

War.

One hundred years of toil and torture. And the Avatar was nowhere to be found.

But the Ocean knew it all. He knew where the savior of the world had been hiding but he also knew that it was not yet time for the boy to emerge from his slumber. But the airbender would rise very soon, he was certain of it. Great and ancient spirit though he was, it was not within his control.

For the time being, the Ocean had to content himself with watching and learning about all those who travelled across him. Nevertheless, there were times when he would lose some of the restraint that had allowed the steel ships to travel for so long.

Now was such an occasion. No one was likely to be spared from his wrath.

And yet, there was always one Spirit who was able to still even the wildest of waters.

Timely as ever, she gently illuminated the night, her radiance seeping through the storm clouds, and filling the sky.

The Moon grieved over the world as well but she did so in a more detached manner. She was not apt to spurts of anger like the Ocean and she always stepped in to remind him of his own destructive strength.

The rain slackened and the waves began to shrink. Little by little, the storm died down. The Ocean was once again calmed by the arrival of a kindred Spirit.

Then, together they danced, circling each other as they always had and as the always will be, for the rest of eternity. Opposites finding harmony in each other.

They whispered to one another, recounting their adventures, sharing all their thoughts and observations.

And on this night, the Ocean found something – or someone – worth paying some attention to. It was unusual because an individual mortal was often of very little concern to the great spirits.

But this time it was different. This one soul seemed to have an inexplicable force about him and the Ocean knew that this one was meant to do great things in the future. The Ocean also sensed, with a growing thrill, that this was one who would help end the war if he could only be led along the right path.

The Moon too had found someone worth her interest. She was pleased with the humility and inherent kindness in this one, and most importantly, the Moon smiled at the glow of hope that this one kept kindled in her heart. Such a person was needed in these trying times.

The Moon also noted that this person had an awesome power in her which was yet to be harnessed.

So the two Spirits conversed and shared their thoughts on these special mortals in whom they had some confidence.

_This one is not completely lost_, said the Ocean of his charge, _but he needs to be reminded of what is good and true. His heart is in the right place but he is too wounded and blinded to follow it._

A face appeared, that of a pale young man with a distinctive scar. His eyes were shut tight because he was wincing in extreme physical pain. Somehow tears were spilling out of them as well.

_Then, give him to my care, _the Moon replied, _for he is in need of the kind of healing only my charge has the power to give._

A smiling girl with long, dark hair and startling blue eyes. Hope seemed to emanate from her face in spite of the sorrow that was also somehow etched in it.

_I deliver him to you, then, _the Ocean offered, _for I trust that this will somehow ease the world's pain._

_When broken souls find solace in each other, _the Moon explained, _the world comes closer to its healing._

_So they agreed, and destiny took its course._


	2. Chapter 1

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: **Thank you for all the feedback on the prologue. Here's the first chapter – not so spiritual but still. I hope you like it. These chapters will be shorter than those in my previous stories. I found that I can not sustain such lengths any more – the schedule gets more and more hectic. Nevertheless they will not be uneventful.

Reviews, pretty please. The more reviews, the faster the updates. Thanks!

**CHAPTER ONE**

"He'll be back soon."

Katara turned to see her grandmother walking towards her. She smiled gratefully at the old lady's words of reassurance. They were soon standing together at the wharf, both looking towards the horizon, as if expecting Hakoda's ships to be sailing back.

The war had been hard on them all and the separation from and death of family members had left their tight-knit community quite broken. But they were making do as well as they could and for two years they were all able to get by somehow.

Katara sighed as she held her shoulders. She shivered slightly from the cold of the late night but she continued to stare at the horizon, using only the illumination of the myriad stars to gaze at the sea.

"He's a strong man, your father," Kanna continued, "and I am certain he will keep his promise to come back to you. We must not expect anything less."

"I know, Gran-gran," Katara replied, "I believe in him too."

Kanna looked at her granddaughter. Katara seemed quieter than usual and more pensive than she let on. The young girl had been burdened with a lot of responsibilities and she had been fulfilling them admirably. Still, Kanna thought, Katara was still young and the carefree innocence of her youth had been denied her somehow by the succession of tragic events that befell the Southern Water Tribe as a result of the hundred-year war.

And then, there was the burden that Kanna knew only Katara could bear. It was actually a gift that had been bestowed once again on a member of the Southern Water Tribe after several decades. Still, this ability was not to be taken lightly and Kanna knew that soon Katara would need to hone her skill. Waterbending could not be mastered in a day, even by a prodigy.

Katara still said nothing. Perhaps, Kanna thought, the girl was taking a well-needed break from the routine activities of the tribe. Sokka was not always an easy person to take care of and then, there were all the errands which Katara had had to perform. The days, although spent in mundane activity passed and the work never run out.

Seeing the faraway look in her granddaughter's eyes, Kanna felt struck by a familiar but worrying feeling. Perhaps the girl felt trapped in the South Pole and longed to have adventures of her own in the wide world. Such colorful and beautiful birds were never meant to be caged.

Or maybe she was waiting for something of consequence to happen in their confined community. Katara and Sokka's youth was wasted in this place but they would never leave their family. Kanna felt for them and silently prayed to the spirits that her grandchildren would be given an opportunity to experience more of life.

"Gran-gran," Katara said softly, interrupting her grandmother's reverie.

"What is it, Katara?" the old lady asked with concern.

Katara looked down slightly before replying. She looked almost guilty about something.

"Although I have never stopped thinking of Dad's being away from us and wishing for his safe return," the girl began, "I have to confess that my mind was occupied with something else today."

Kanna raised a brow quizzically. It was rare for Katara to be deep in thought about other things and the old woman was apprehensive about what she was about to hear. Nevertheless, she was also concerned and curious about Katara's experience.

"What has been bothering you, then, Katara?" Kanna asked.

Once again, the girl looked out into the starry night with an expression Kanna could not quite read.

"I know that this might sound a little crazy, or even childish," Katara continued, choosing her words carefully, "but I've been thinking about a dream I've been having for several nights now."

"A dream?" Kanna asked with some surprise.

Katara nodded gravely.

"Then, why don't you tell me about it, child," the grandmother encouraged, "and don't worry, it doesn't sound the least bit childish. In fact, it was wise of you to take it seriously."

"Was it?" the girl answered with a hint of doubt in her voice.

"Of course, my dear," Kanna replied matter-of-factly, "although skeptics like your brother may disagree, it is through dreams sometimes that the spirits communicate to us or reveal a bit of our destiny to us."

After saying this, Kanna was surprised to see Katara staring at her intently, as if eagerly taking in everything she had to say.

"I think I truly believe you, Gran-gran," Katara explained, "because it was of the spirits that I dreamed of, even though I cannot quite understand the message they are sending to me."

"You dreamed of the spirits? That is quite intriguing and also important," Kanna answered with growing interest, "Katara, very few have been given this privilege, that of the spirits appearing in their dreams. You must take this very seriously. I am thrilled for you and even a little envious. No spirits have been appearing in my sleep."

At the last statement, Kanna smiled slightly and her granddaughter returned the smile. The mood was lightened somewhat and Kanna only had to wait for Katara to start describing her dream.

"I suppose you are right," Katara agreed, "I only wish that they could be more specific. I still can't make out what they want me to do no matter how much I think about the dream or try to remember all the details. Most of the time, all I can recall are blurry images, or scenes flashing by in random order, seeming not to make any sense at all. I haven't been sleeping too well."

"Oh, Katara," Kanna consoled her, "that's all right. Why don't you tell me more about your dream? Maybe we could figure it out together."

"It always begins the same way," Katara began, "I always see two koi fish, one black and one white, circling each other in a small pond. But they aren't ordinary koi fish. They both seem to have a strange glow about them, and an inexplicable aura too. I think that they may be representations of the spirits although I'm not so sure."

"Which spirits are we talking about?" Kanna asked curiously. Katara paused to think for a moment.

"I think they are the moon and ocean spirits," the girl replied, "because after these fish disappear, I always see a bright full moon, gently pulling at the tides. And I know the legends about the moon and ocean spirits being quite close to each other so I think they are the pair showing themselves to me."

"The moon and ocean spirits are close to the Water Tribes," Kanna explained, "so it would only be expected that they would show themselves to a member of one of those tribes."

"I think I hear their voices in the dream," Katara continued, "but the words they utter are confusing, in an incoherent jumble. They seem to speak in riddles."

"Don't be so surprised," Kanna replied with a smile, "supernatural forces have a tendency to do that."

"I guess that's true, but still," Katara said, "I don't want to misinterpret their message. I'm sure it's important since they take the trouble to tell me about it. There's a task I have to do for sure and I do not want to fail them."

"I'm certain that you won't," Kanna reassured her, "but what else did you see in your dream?"

Katara knitted her brows for a few moments, as if willing herself to remember more. All was such an incoherent blur that she hardly could recognize any of the images that were quickly and confusingly flashed through her unconsciousness.

"I saw the this very horizon," the younger Water Tribe girl began, "but in the distance there seemed to be a small boat or raft floating towards us."

Katara pointed in the direction she had seen and her dream and her grandmother eagerly looked out. But both of them saw nothing.

"Someone was drifting towards me," Katara continued, "and while this happened the spirits spoke of deliverance of some kind, there were also muttered phrases about healing and the coming of peace. All of this seems so important especially since it involves helping end the war. So I want to fulfill my duty as best as I can."

Kanna nodded and motioned to Katara to proceed with her description of her dream. Katara closed her eyes briefly and tried to envision the dream again. It may have haunted her for so many nights but she still could not fully recreate it in her conscious mind.

"There was also a face," she said quietly, "the face of a boy?"

"Oh?" Kanna asked a little too eagerly, "was he handsome?"

Katara looked at her grandmother knowingly and shook her head although she had a small smile and the slightest of blushes.

"Now, don't get any ideas, Gran-gran," the younger girl said defensively, "I don't think it's _that_ kind of a dream."

"But what did this boy look like?" Kanna prodded, "I'm sure he's very important somehow."

"He was pale, with black hair," Katara described, "he was certainly not from the Water Tribes. Maybe he could be either from the Earth Kingdom or Fire Nation I couldn't really tell. His eyes were shut and he seemed to be in great pain."

"Possibly from the Fire Nation?" Kanna asked skeptically, knitting her brows, "that sounds a little disconcerting."

"I don't think he's a firebender though," Katara answered, "even if I haven't seen his eyes. After all, one feature which I can never forget was the large scar on his face."

"A scar?" Kanna asked curiously, "what kind of scar?"

"Yes, it began from his left ear, covering his left eye and much of the upper left half of his face. By the looks of it, the scar seemed to be more of a burn mark," Katara explained, "I believe that he has been a victim of the Fire Nation's cruelty just like us. And I think the spirits are trying to tell me to help him, to help heal him somehow."

She stopped herself and looked at her grandmother earnestly.

"Am I presuming too much to say this?" Katara asked uncertainly.

"Not at all, my child," her grandmother replied, "you're simply slipping into the role you were destined to play – and something tells me that it isn't confined to running the household of the Southern Water Tribe."

"And at one point in the dream," Katara said after some thought, "the Ocean tides seem to bring the boy closer to me and as I reach out to him, my hands begin to glow in the moonlight, as if the Moon herself has bestowed her light on me. Do you think that has anything to do with my waterbending, Gran-gran?"

Katara turned to see her grandmother gazing at her with admiration and affection.

"I always knew that you were destined to be a healer as well," Kanna said with feeling, "and it seems that the spirits themselves are leading you down this path. But you must take care, my dear child, for it is not the smoothest course to traverse."

"I've always wanted to help those in pain," Katara said, "in any way that I can. And, please don't tease me, but something in me desperately wants to help this strange boy. I must find him. I don't know what else the spirits have in store for me but I feel certain that they showed me his face because they want me to help him."

"But in the dream, did you not say that he was drifting towards you?" Kanna asked. Katara nodded.

"That's why I've tried to come here as often as I could," Katara continued, "and whenever I found time, I would take a canoe out to sea and paddle by myself, going with the flow between the floating ice. I have kept my eyes open and I have searched and searched but found nothing. But the dream says that he'll come and I trust in that."

After a few moments, Kanna nodded with approval and gave her granddaughter a warm, reassuring embrace.

"Who am I to question the will of the spirits?" Kanna said, "whatever awaits you beyond this horizon, I will support you. This dream of yours might just lead you to something great."

"Thank you, Gran-gran," Katara replied gratefully, her eyes brimming with some tears, "thank you for understanding. "

But as Katara broke away from the embrace, her eyes were once again fixed on the horizon, trying to catch sight of anything strange in the distance. Kanna smiled with admiration at her granddaughter before turning her gaze to the horizon as well. The two Water Tribe women seemed to glow under the light of the moon. A cool breeze blew against them and though they shivered slightly, they were not cold.

A thrill of anticipation went through them and the were each engrossed in their thoughts about the uncertain but exciting future the dream-giver had in store for them.

_I don't know who you are or why you are coming,_ Katara thought hopefully as she looked towards the sea, as if addressing the stranger from her dreams, _but I trust in my dreams and I have faith in the Spirits. I'll never stop looking here until I find you._


	3. Chapter 2

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE:** Thanks for all the reviews to the last chapter. Sorry for the delay of this one. Let me just say though that the issue brought up at the latter half of this chapter is not yet resolved. Please leave a review!

**CHAPTER TWO**

Ironically, for all Katara's diligence and perseverance at searching and waiting, it was Sokka who first glimpsed the new visitor.

The young Water Tribe Warrior was doing his daily rounds in the village, checking on everyone, and making sure that all things were in order, when he espied an unusual speck in the distance. Wanting to investigate further, he ran towards the docks and looked carefully. A part of him expected to see his father finally coming home from the war but another part was thrilled at the prospect of an unexpected adventure.

He squinted his eyes a the object in the horizon and was slightly disappointed not to see a fleet of Fire Nation ships. Instead, there only seemed to be a makeshift raft with two figures on it. Looking more carefully he noticed that the two passengers did not look very well and they may very well have been survivors of a grand shipwreck.

Sokka's eyes widened at the realization and immediately alerted the others in the village to the new arrivals. The younger boys who formed Sokka's little army ran frantically to the docks and hungrily devoured the sight with their eager eyes. Sokka called for a canoe which his little subordinates readily provided.

There was a minor uproar in the village as the news spread to the other members of the Southern Water Tribe. At that moment, Katara and Kanna were both busy preparing the midday meals. As the grandmother and granddaughter seasoned the sea kumquats, one of the little boys ran to them. He tried breathlessly to relate what had just happened but he was unable to be coherent because he was panting so hard.

"Calm down, child," Kanna reprimanded the small boy, "and take a deep breath before you tell us what happened."

"Sokka saw something out there," the boy began excitedly, waving his hands in emphasis. However, he looked puzzled when the two women did not seem to share his enthusiasm.

"You'll have to be a little more specific," Kanna told him while winking amusedly at Katara.

"Out there, on the docks, there are two men on a boat," the young boy elaborated, "Sokka just set out on a canoe now to meet them. They don't look too well."

The little boy had barely finished saying this and the two women had dropped whatever they were doing and had run as fast as they could to the docks, where the rest of the village had congregated. While the boy was talking Kanna and Katara had exchanged wide-eyed and significant glances with each other.

Katara's heart pounded wildly as she watched her brother and some others meet the two shipwreck victims on a canoe. She had not expected her dream to come true in such a way. And she did not think that there would be another person. It didn't really matter. She tried to still her excitement and to rationalize the situation.

_Maybe this isn't going to be exactly as you dreamt it, _she told herself, _this might just be an interesting coincidence. Don't get your hopes up._

Nevertheless, she waited in breathless anticipation, wringing her hands in tension. Why was Sokka taking forever to meet the raft? It was difficult because the current seemed to be against him.

After a few moments of hesitation, she shook her head and grabbed another canoe with determination. To the surprise of the others (except Kanna, of course), Katara paddled fiercely until she had all but caught up with her brother. Back on the shore, some of the kids cheered her on but she hardly noticed.

But she encountered the same difficulty and had had to listen to Sokka's reprimand about following him there.

"What are you doing, Katara?" Sokka cried out, "I've got the situation under control. Go back now."

"No, you don't," Katara contradicted, looking frantically at where the raft was floating precariously. The other passenger, a large, old, bearded man was aware that help was coming and he was waving his hands at them. The other passenger lay seemingly unconscious on the raft. Katara tried to get a good look at the other but had to concentrate more on moving her canoe.

But nothing either she or Sokka did was helping much. They could not move. After several frustrated tries of rowing, Sokka threw up his hands in annoyance. Katara, however, was determined to reach the two strangers. She stood still, her face calm and resolved, and took a deep breath.

Kanna, as well as the rest of the villagers, held their breath in wonder as they watched the young girl raise her arms and then the water follow her guidance. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe was waterbending and the others did not quite understand what they were seeing.

She easily passed by an awestruck Sokka, whose jaw had dropped down and who had turn very still with shock. For some reason, the old man on the raft did not seem to surprised about Katara's abilities. He just smiled gratefully as Katara waterbended her way towards them, her face serious and in deep concentration as she manipulated some small waves.

Katara had decided that whether or not the other passenger was the boy from her dreams, she still had a duty to help him. And she never ever turned her back from people who needed her. She reached the dilapidated raft just in time.

The makeshift piece of flotsam was just about to sink into the depths. There was barely any time for the older man to jump onto Katara's canoe. Then, he and Katara dragged the still unconscious figure of the younger man to the canoe. The latter was wrapped up in a dark cloak so his face was hidden from view.

Katara willed herself not to be distracted by looking at the boy's face so she turned away and concentrated instead on moving the water (and also the boat) back to the safety of the shore, where the others were waiting for them.

Not having his sister's ability, Sokka had merely returned the shore as well and now awaited her, and the new arrivals. The moment Katara step foot on the village, a loud whoop went up from the younger members of the Southern Water Tribe and the rest of the villagers cheered her wildly. Katara smiled modestly but could not hide a twinge of satisfaction. Even Sokka begrudgingly congratulated her on her conquest.

Kanna quickly approached her granddaughter and congratulated her. But after a few moments of celebration, the others realized that there were strangers among them. Thankfully, the old man had remained quiet all throughout the frenzy, as if waiting patiently to be noticed. But it was clear that he was troubled about the condition of his younger companion. The other man still did not wake up.

Katara was the first to recollect herself and embarrassed at her neglect, she quickly turned her attention to the two victims. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before approaching the two.

The older man looked at his young savior with interest. She seemed apprehensive about something although she had not realized their identities yet. He was a little worried about how she would react when she found out where he and his younger companion were from. And yet, something told him to trust this brave and powerful waterbender. There was a kindness in her blue eyes which he had never seen in anyone else. There was a sense that even when everyone else would turn his or her back to them,_ she _would not. For both his and his nephew's sake, Iroh hoped that the young girl would not reject their pleas for help.

But before Katara could even proceed to help them, Sokka raised an arm to stop her. He looked at the new arrivals warily and though Katara protested, her brother was adamant.

"Not so fast, Katara," the Water Tribe Warrior warned. Katara glared at him quizzically.

The rest of the villagers had suddenly grown silent. Kanna was anxious as well. Tension began to fill the air as an invisible conflict grew between the siblings.

Even though there were elderly members of the tribe still living there, it had become a silent, unofficial but effective law that Sokka and Katara were the chiefs of the village. After all, these two siblings were the people who kept everything in order while the menfolk were off at war. So on this occasion, no one dared step in between them. The children were slightly frightened and did not stir. They even began to slowly step backward, eager to be out of the line of fire.

They were all also wise enough not to get involved in a quarrel between those two stubborn and obstinate siblings. The clash would not be pleasant.

Iroh sighed with dismay. It seemed like they were discovered all too soon. But he said nothing and waited for his turn to speak. He watched the exchange between the two young Water Tribe people. Although he had no official information, Iroh had a feeling that these two were siblings.

"What do you think you're doing, Sokka?" Katara asked her brother, brushing his arm aside, "these people need our help."

He grabbed her arm.

"I should be asking you that," Sokka replied sternly. Katara raised an eyebrow and shook his hand off. She turned to Iroh, ignoring her brother, and asked if she could help him. Before the old man could reply, Sokka placed himself between Iroh and his sister. Then, he brandished his Water Tribe blade.

"Sokka!" Katara cried in anger and surprise.

"Can't you see, Katara?" Sokka explained, his eyes still on Iroh's face, "we made a mistake in saving these people. They're our enemies."

"What?" Katara replied loudly. Sokka narrowed his eyes. He had noted the strangers' clothing, appearance, and most importantly, the golden glow of the old man's eyes, a fact he could never deny.

"They're from the Fire Nation," Sokka stated simply and contemptuously, as if those words were disgusting to pronounce.

Gasps and shudders were heard from the rest of the villagers as they realized the truth of Sokka's accusation. They really began to back away from the strangers now. Katara glared at her brother but upon glancing at the face of the old man she had rescued. The moment her blue eyes met his gold ones, even the iron-willed Katara backed away with the realization of the truth of her brother's claims.

The man was clearly from the Fire Nation. But that would mean...?

Katara did not dare glance at the cloaked figure lying nearby. She was too afraid of the truth she knew she would find there. Sokka continued to stand in a defensive position facing the old man who made no move to fight. Instead, the old man merely sighed.

"There's no use denying what is plain and true," he began gravely, "and I will not repay your kindness with deception. We are indeed from the Fire Nation."

"I knew it!" Sokka cried out but Katara shushed him. She sensed that the old man had more to say.

"But we have been banished by the Fire Lord," Iroh continued pleadingly, "we are fugitives seeking asylum and safety from anyone who is willing to offer it. Please, we are not your enemies. We have been victims of a ship wreck and we are greatly indebted to you for saving our lives."

"You're lying," Sokka replied fiercely although he was not too sure of himself. Katara, on the other hand, had listened carefully to the other man's words and inwardly sighed with great relief.

"Sokka, calm down and think this over for a minute," Katara counseled her brother, placing a hand on his shoulder, "we found them floating in the sea, helpless, and alone. I don't think they mean any harm. If they did, our village would be burning down by now."

"How can you believe his story so easily?" Sokka argued.

"How can you doubt his story so easily?" Katara retorted. Sokka had no answer to that. He simply stared incredulously at his sister. The rest of the Water Tribe looked from sibling to sibling, wondering how this would resolve itself.

The tension between Sokka and Katara was interrupted when the old man got down on his knees in a begging position.

"Doubt me if you will," he said humbly and pitifully, "and do what you must with me, but please, you must help my nephew. He has been seriously injured both from the ship wreck and from saving me from a great sea monster. He has been unconscious for several days now and I fear for his life. Please, I beg you, you must help him."

Sokka and Katara both looked at the old man earnestly. Even Sokka was moved by the speech although he did not dare show it. For all his outward pride, the Water Tribe warrior was kind-hearted. But it was understandable that he would be wary of strangers, especially from the Fire Nation. After all, he had been charged with the safety and protection of the village. And he did not want to fail them.

Katara on the other hand, placed a hand gently on the old man's shoulder and gave him a sympathetic look.

"Don't worry," she whispered, "I'll see what I can do."

Taking a few steps forward, Katara finally dared to look at the face of the other boy. Her eyes widened and she gasped. That scar... there could be no doubt about it.

"You," she muttered incredulously, her attention sharply focused only on the person lying before her, eyes still closed and chest heaving ever so slightly. Suddenly nothing else seemed to matter, not her brother's persistent arguments or the villagers' protests or even the older man's pleas for help.

"The boy from my dreams," Katara whispered so that only she could hear.

But somewhere nearby, Gran-gran guessed the truth by looking at the expression on her granddaughter's face. The old woman sighed with resignation. No one could stop Katara once she set her mind to something.

Katara no longer hesitated. _I don't care who you are, _she thought resolutely, _I know now that we were destined to meet._

The spirits had given her a mission. And she had not intentions of letting them down.


	4. Chapter 3

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE:** I am so sorry for the lateness of this update. I have many excuses but none of them are acceptable enough. And I'm sorry if I posted some other stories for other fandoms while all of you had to wait for this update. It took some work and I had a bit of writer's block for this particular chapter. But rest assured, you won't be waiting too long for the next one.

Thank you for all your continued support.

**CHAPTER THREE**

"There's one other thing that you must know," Iroh added with a nervous and dejected sigh, despite the air of hostility that had already been pervading, "and it cannot be concealed from anyone."

"What exactly can we find out about you now that will make things worse?" Sokka asked contemptuously but he was silenced by glares from both his sister and his grandmother, who was curious to hear what the old man had to say.

Unfortunately for everyone, Sokka had a tendency to dare the fates by asking what could possibly be worse than a given situation, only to have it (being the worse circumstances) happen right after he complains. It has been demonstrated on many occasions and it is an established fact that the poor, sarcastic Water Tribe Warrior was indeed a plaything of the universe. And so it came to pass once more.

Everyone paid attention to the old Fire Nation man as he heaved another dejected sigh. He seemed very hesitant to divulge whatever information he had but seeing the expectant faces around him, Iroh knew that he could not afford to hold back for too long.

"Well?" Sokka asked rather rudely, his foot tapping impatiently, and he risked another round of glares from the people around him, "go on, how bad can it be? It's not like you're related to the Fire Lord or anything like that, right?"

And upon seeing Iroh's shocked (and revealing expression), Sokka wished he had just kept his big mouth shut. It has to be added that Sokka does also have a tendency to blurt out the worst case scenarios, much to his chagrin.

"You've got to be kidding me!" the Water Tribe Warrior voiced out what every other Water Tribe member was thinking. Even Katara had gone very, very still, her hands resting just above the unconscious body of the young man. And yet, somehow, she could not bring herself to leave his side.

But relatives of the Fire Lord?

"What you say is true," Iroh continued, "we are indeed (and unfortunately) related to the Fire Lord. But I assure you, blood is the only thing we have in common."

"And that is more than enough reason for us to send you away," Sokka declared defiantly, pulling Katara away from her patient in spite of her violent protests, "what makes you think that anything will make us trust you now?"

"Please, I beg you," Iroh began to plead as Sokka took a few steps backward.

Sokka raised a hand and told everyone but his grandmother and sister to return to the safety of their homes.

Gran-gran supported the suggestion and said that the matter would be easier dealt with with less people involved. The other villagers respected this decision and promptly entered their homes, although they were all very curious as to how the issue would be resolved.

So it happened that the only people left there were Iroh and his nephew were Sokka, Katara, and Gran-gran.

For his part, Sokka wanted the issue to be more contained. It was difficult enough to manage so many people under normal circumstances. And he was, of course, worried about the general welfare of the tribe given the new arrivals.

Katara said nothing though she shivered with emotion. She was torn between turning her attention back to the patient and siding with her brother on the issue. Being from the Fire Nation was one thing but sharing the same blood as the man who continued the war was outrageous. Clearly the spirits were testing her, and she wasn't quite sure anymore how she was supposed to respond.

Her resolve was not so easily shaken but a revelation as grave as this was also not easily ignored. There was so much she needed to know and so much she still needed to do. It was clear that the young man's health was at great risk although she still wasn't sure what was ailing him. But the fact that he had remained unconscious all throughout the discussion was worrying her greatly.

Nevertheless, she didn't dare look at Gran-gran for counsel because the younger girl was afraid of what she might see. Katara kept wracking her brain for a clear solution to this dilemma but nothing was making sense anymore and everything was becoming more and more frustrating. She allowed Sokka to take charge of the matter for the time being, just until she got her bearings again.

And yet, she could not avert her eyes from the figure lying still by the side of the old Fire Nation man. Sokka was stern and silent, awaiting an explanation.

Kanna looked at her two grandchildren and realized how much depended on them at that moment. She may have been the elder of the village, but these two youths were the true leaders and they would ultimately decide what to do with the two new arrivals. She trusted their judgment, she had helped raise them, after all. But she could not avoid being anxious for them as well.

Facing the enemy and doing the right thing were burdens they should not have to bear in their young age. Unfortunately, the war had done away with much of the world's innocence.

Katara held her shoulders and began to shiver slightly. Looking around her, she noticed that the sky was growing dark. Her blue eyes narrowed. In a little while, the temperature would drop very quickly and they would all need to find a warmer place to continue their activities.

She lived in the South Pole all her life and yet the approaching chill seemed colder than usual to her. She glanced worriedly at the two captives, who were clad in nothing but tattered thin clothing, their traditional Fire Nation armor discarded in the ocean. Surely they were freezing by now.

And indeed, Iroh had began to hold his shoulders and rub them vigorously. He draped the cloak around his nephew more but he could see that the boy was shivering as well, although still unconscious.

"Sokka," Katara advised, "I think we had all better transfer to a warmer location."

"That won't be necessary, Katara," Sokka answered proudly although he too had begun to shiver, "we're used to the cold. And if they can't stand it, they can always make a little fire for themselves. Not that they should. It would only prove how much of a threat they really are to us."

"Don't be unreasonable, Sokka," Katara argued, "you know as well as I do that this chill is unusual, even for us. We cannot stay out here. We have to move."

Before Sokka could protest, his grandmother raised her hand and nodded in Katara's direction. Glaring at first at his family, the warrior then had to concede with a sigh. He had to admit that the temperature was dropping every minute and that there was nothing they could achieve in such dreary weather.

None of the Water Tribe people spoke of it but everyone knew that such coldness did not bode well for any of them. It had never been this cold in the South Pole before and people were growing anxious. They did not want to point accusingly at anyone but they knew very well that somehow, the strange weather had something to do with the arrival of the two firebenders. They lay in wait, hoping that Sokka, Kanna, and Katara would be able to find the resolution to this mystery.

They were all able to transfer to the large hut-like structure which was formerly used as a village meeting place. Since many of the villagers who used to congregate here (namely the older men) had been absent for two years, the place was mainly used for storage and the occasional small feast among the villagers.

The sky had grown sinisterly dark, as if matching the air of mistrust and suspicion that hung over everyone in that room. Sokka had reluctantly (and at the persuasion of his sister and Grandmother) allowed Iroh to light a small fire in the room before he resumed his interrogation. As soon as they had all settled in as best as they could (although the younger firebender's body was simply wrapped up in a blanket and left in a corner), Iroh began his explanation and introduction, to a very eager and anxious audience.

"My name is Iroh," he began gravely, "and I used to be a General of the Fire Nation. I was known then as the Dragon of the West and I launched an unsuccessful siege on the Earth Kingdom fortress of Ba Sing Se. I have since been travelling with my nephew here, accompanying him on his exile. I am also the older brother of Fire Lord Ozai, and the eldest son of the late Fire Lord, Azulon."

"If you are the previous Fire Lord's eldest son, why are you not the current Fire Lord?" Sokka asked, now with more curiosity than suspicion.

"That is a very long story," Iroh replied seriously, "and I will get to that later if it is really necessary. But maybe I should tell you about my nephew first, since he is unable to make the proper introductions."

"Yes, please do," Katara urged him gently, "we would like to know both your stories."

Gran-gran looked at her granddaughter knowingly and then looked at Sokka who did not seem to mind his sister's suggestion. Iroh nodded.

"My nephew is Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, eldest child of Fire Lord Ozai," the old man said carefully, looking at the Water Tribe members and trying to gage their reactions. He paused before he continued because he saw the looks of shock and fear in the eyes of the three people before him.

Sokka looked almost outraged at the thought of being in the same room with relatives of the Fire Lord, let alone his brother and son. Gran-gran felt herself overcome with some degree of fear and uncertainty. While her eyes told her the two men who had arrived truly meant no harm, her mind told her that they were the enemy and that they were not to be trusted. But what she was more worried about was Katara's reaction to this revelation.

The girl's eyes had grown very wide and she was unable to speak for several minutes. Both fists were clenched on her lap as she struggled to make further sense of what was before her, what had just been revealed to her.

_Zuko_, she repeated the name in her head, _the son of the Fire Lord._

It was all too much to consider. They had sent him to her in a dream, sent him for her to save. She had to save him, but why?

The Moon and the Ocean knew that he is the son of the man who has kept the war going and caused so much pain and suffering. But the Spirits could not be wrong, could they?

If they meant for him to be saved, then Prince Zuko _must _be a truly good person, right?

And yet, as much as she wanted to trust in the Spirits' judgment, Katara still could not avoid being even a little bit skeptical. She needed to know more and since Zuko was not yet in any serious danger, she wanted to learn more about him before she did anything.

It was difficult enough to go against Sokka when they knew the two only to be firebenders. But now, with these new revelations, Katara was seriously considering how she would or could contradict her brother.

Meanwhile, Iroh was observing the young waterbender carefully. It seemed that of the three people before him at that moment, she was the most likely to trust him and to be able to help Zuko.

He had another suspicion about her as well but did not dwell on it too much. It would only be confirmed as soon as Zuko woke up, anyway. And the old man dearly hoped that that would happen soon.

The wise elder saw the doubt in Katara's eyes and was eager to get rid of it. He would tell her everything; she deserved no less. And then, he would hope for the best and trust her judgment.

"Why was he exiled?" Kanna voiced what all of them wanted to hear.

And as Iroh gazed at the faces of the three before him, despite the differences in emotions and motives, all of their expressions said one thing: tell me everything.

So he did.

And as the old man spoke, little by little, the three Water Tribe members unconsciously began moving towards him, being completely drawn in by the stories he told of his past and of the life of his beloved nephew.

He told them more than some members of the Fire Nation even knew. But it was far more important for them to know all of this, not just to know more about Iroh and Zuko, but to even understand a little more of the Fire Nation and the darkness it has been plunged in.

The recounting was also an opportunity for Iroh to speak of certain things which he had kept in silence for so many years, to relive some painful experiences, and also to better accept them.

Iroh told them about the failed six hundred day siege of Ba Sing Se and the death of Lu Ten. He explained how he gave up the siege after that and how his brother, Ozai, spoke to Fire Lord Azulon about taking the throne instead.

Sokka, Katara, and Kanna listened in shocked silence as the old general recounted how Ozai was asked to sacrifice his own son in order to feel the same pain as his older brother. The two women later gasped in greater shock when they heard the story of Ursa, Zuko's mother, and how she committed treason and was exiled from the kingdom, all in order to save the life of her son.

"And where is his mother now?" Katara asked with concern.

Iroh shook his head sadly.

"No one knows," he replied, "her banishment was done in secret. Zuko himself doesn't know of it. He and his sister were told that their mother died six years ago."

"What kind of a family does such terrible things?" Katara and Kanna both cried out in astonishment. They were exceedingly appalled to hear such sordid stories about the Fire Nation family.

"Ours, regrettably," Iroh replied with a sad tinge of irony.

"And you wonder why the Fire Lord is so ruthless and evil," Sokka commented.

"No offense," he added respectfully to Iroh (and because Kanna and Katara had sent him icy glares).

"None taken," Iroh answered, "the truth is I cannot begin to account for my family's generations of wrongs. I've done many things that I am not proud of and I have been trying to atone for them as best as I can."

The others nodded gravely at him. By now, they seemed to have gained some level of respect and trust for the old firebender. Nothing in his manner gave them any reason to suspect or doubt him and he was certainly a far cry from all the firebenders who had ever stepped foot in the South Pole.

He was gentle, calm, and even humorous. His weather worn face bore marks of experience and wisdom but never of aggression or violence. They were all sure that as a member of the Fire Nation Royal family and a former general, Iroh was a powerful firebender but he did not show off any of his ability (other than by lighting the small fire).

Even Sokka had to agree that if the old man had wanted to hurt any of them, he would have already done so. Even alone, a talented firebender would have been able to do some damage by that time. And sine he had not done so, the three of them felt safe enough around him.

They waited as he continued the story, this time, telling that of Zuko and his eventual banishment. First, they listened as Iroh told them of Zuko's growing up, without his mother, constantly striving to please his distant and uncaring father, and competing and living in the shadow of his prodigious younger sister. Then, they heard of the war council at which the young prince spoke up for his own people.

Even Sokka was beginning to look at the lying figure with more interest and less hostility.

Katara's eyes widened and she raised her hands to her mouth when she heard about the Agni Kai between Zuko and his father and the grave punishment he was given for speaking out.

"So his own father gave him the scar?" Katara whispered in horror, "how terrible."

"You've been searching for the Avatar for the past two years," Sokka clarified, his suspicion coming back, "but how did you end up here? And how do we know that this isn't a trap for you to find the Avatar?"

Iroh sighed as the two women shushed Sokka while the young man shrugged at them. He had seen this coming and was only glad that Zuko was still unconscious.

But before he could explain further, they all heard some loud groans coming from Zuko.

Iroh and Katara rushed to the young man's side as Sokka and Gran-gran followed and tried to help as well.

His eyes were still closed but he had begun to toss and turn restlessly, his hands clutching at his chest, pulling his tattered clothing apart. Iroh and Katara tried to steady him but he was shaking very violently and moaning in great agony.

"What's the matter with him?" Sokka cried out, as he helped them hold the firebender still. But Zuko was strong and it took all of their strength to keep him from hurting himself or others.

Katara saw it first, and she gasped in horror.

For large, black stains had begun to spread across the Fire Prince's chest.


	5. Chapter 4

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: **Thanks again for all the reviews. Here's the next chapter. For those who read "Sojourn in Solitude", do you recognize something? It is only hinted here, the next chapter will elaborate on it. But if you see it, you see it. :)

In response to JC: Sorry, but they won't be seeing Aang for a long, long while. And Toph will not be making an appearance in this story, sorry to say.

And yes, I borrowed a couple of lines from a Disney movie. I couldn't resist. Sorry if it seems corny. If you can guess which one it is, then you will reveal your age (or at least your generation and mine as well, unfortunately for me!) I'm not too subtle about it, don't worry.

Reviews, reviews, please. The more reviews, the faster the updates. That's what I can promise you now.

I know that it is much to ask since the series is long over. But I can hope, can't I? And the fandom lives on, does it not?

School's starting very soon but I'll fit writing this story into my schedule since you are all fitting reading it into yours. I really appreciate that.

**CHAPTER FOUR**

"The poison! It's spreading!"

The three Water Tribe members looked at Iroh as he cried out those distraught words.

"Poison?" Sokka asked, "and just when did he get poisoned?"

"He was bitten by a sea serpent," Iroh managed to say as he and the others struggled to calm down an almost hysterical Zuko.

"What?" Sokka couldn't resist asking, even in the midst of the chaos.

"Never mind that now, Sokka," Gran-gran said frantically, and she turned to the worried uncle, "what kind of poison is it? Maybe we may have an antidote to it."

"Have you ever seen such a case of poisoning as this, Gran-gran?" Katara asked even as she tried to keep Zuko from thrashing here and there. The task was getting more and more challenging as the patient in question was proving to be physically stronger than all of them. And his main only gave him further strength.

It was clear that Zuko had not regained full possession of his senses. His eyes were open but he was still unaware of his surroundings. The extreme pain seemed to blind him to all else and the dark black stain was beginning to spread to his entire body. None of them could imagine the absolute horror that he had to endure in those moments.

The others watched haplessly as this occurred while Kanna had gone to where they kept all the tribe's medicines and potions. She had never encountered such a case before, and she was considered the most knowledgeable in medicinal affairs in the tribe. While it was true that she did not possess the healing abilities of waterbenders, Kanna had a vast knowledge of all the helpful herbs and potions for almost any ailment, slight to serious.

And yet, even after having asked Iroh about the type of sea serpent which had bitten Zuko, she could not think of the proper antidote. And it was difficult to merely experiment with other potions as the side effects might sometimes be fatal.

But she resolved to try her best to find the cure.

No one questioned her decision and even Sokka could not stop her from helping the suffering firebender. He could not deny that he greatly pitied the young prince at that moment.

Never had any of them witnessed such excruciating agony.

Somehow, they all wanted Zuko to stop screaming in pain, Katara and Iroh most of all.

As she held him down, Katara wracked her brain for some sort of solution, anything that could help ease his suffering. Gran-gran had passed on most of her medicinal knowledge to Katara but none of this seemed to help them at the moment.

The young waterbender silently cursed herself for being so useless. The Spirits had sent Zuko to her to be saved and here she was, doing nothing to forward that cause. Surely, there was something that only she could do for him? But what was it?

As his cries grew louder and more desperate, Katara hoped that whatever she was she was meant to do, it would dawn upon her soon. She prayed fervently to the Spirits to send her guidance. This was hardly the time for them to be vague.

But while all of them waited impatiently for Gran-gran to arrive, Iroh, Sokka, and Katara agonizing over what to do, the patient decided to take things into his own hands.

While not fully conscious, Zuko was still able to perform certain functions and his brain told him that he needed to stop the poison from spreading – at any cost.

He stopped thrashing slightly and looked around him frantically. Eying something at Sokka's belt, Zuko's thought quickly and grabbed the said item.

The action was so rapid and unexpected that Sokka was unable to stop it. He merely watched in shock as Zuko took his dagger from him.

"Hey!" the Water Tribe Warrior cried in alarm. But his fears were unnecessary. Zuko was not going to use the blade to hurt them.

Instead, the young firebender rapidly plunged the knife into his arm, and he gave a sharp cry. Katara and Iroh cried out as well in shock as blood and poison spurted out of the newly inflicted wound.

Gory and painful though his method was, Zuko was at least able to stop the spread of the poison in his body and the large black stains on his chest were rapidly shrinking. Unfortunately, he was also rapidly losing blood which flowed freely from the incision.

Understanding what the young man had just did, the three people around him sighed in relief but turned their attention to the new problem. But at least for the moment, the poison had stopped flowing.

And though still in extreme pain, Zuko had ceased his violent thrashing. His eyes were closed again and he was almost biting his lower lip in restraint. His chest heaved as he breathed heavily but he was no longer shaking. The others could also see that along with the crimson flow of blood, the black tar-like poison was leaking out of the wound as well.

Kanna had still not returned and no one dared leave Zuko now. Iroh, Sokka, and Katara took a few steps back and tried to clean themselves up. Blood had spattered over the three of them and while they dealt with this, they also tried to figure out what to do next.

"Well, it looks like your nephew found his own cure for the poison," Sokka told the older firebender, "but it's only temporary. What can we do now?"

They found themselves in a severely difficult position. If they would stop the flow of blood and cover the wound, enough poison might still be left in Zuko's circulatory system that would endanger his life. And yet, losing so much blood was problematic as well. Again, they wracked their brains for a solution.

Despite his distrust of firebenders in general, Sokka did not want to have one's blood on his hands (literally and figuratively). He was a good person and wished no ill on anyone. He was also curious as to how Zuko would defend himself or explain himself once he was conscious.

Iroh of course was just extremely worried about his nephew. He felt somewhat guilty for Zuko's condition.

If only he had been better able to protect his nephew. But the past could not be undone and now Zuko was paying a heavy price for his own heroism. The old firebender looked around him, struggling to find an answer.

Katara held a damp cloth to Zuko's forehead, which she found to be burning with fever. She also tried her best to clean up the small pool of blood that formed under his slashed arm. Not knowing any better, she was trying to make herself as useful as possible.

His breathing was still fitful and he remained unaware of them there.

Katara frowned. Her presence here did not seem to be helping the patient at all and this frustrated her. What was she supposed to do?

After a few minutes, she needed some more water to continue cleaning the wound. She motioned to the other two to hand her a small jar of water in the far end of the room. But Iroh and Sokka seemed to dazed and confused to comply properly.

Katara sighed and said, "Never mind. I'll do it myself."

And then almost instinctively, she raised her hand up, and using the power she had only recently discovered, bended the water from the jar towards her.

Sokka again looked wide-eyed as his sister performed this feat. He gaped as he had never really gotten used to his sister using what he called "magic water".

Iroh, on the other hand, had a better idea. As he watched the stream of water comply with the girl's command, he realized what could save his nephew. And he only hoped that his hunch was correct. He walked towards Katara.

"You're the only waterbender around here, aren't you?" he asked her carefully.

She looked up at him, curious that he would ask such a question at such a moment and nodded gravely.

He knew the answer as well, but he needed to make sure. Iroh was well aware that the Fire Lord had done everything in his power to rid the South Pole of all its waterbenders. And as far as he knew, the last waterbender had been apprehended just several years ago. But there would always be exceptions. And here was one, leaving and breathing, right in front of him.

"Do you," he continued, hoping against hope, "have healing abilities?"

Katara raised her eyebrows at him and by the look on her face, Iroh knew that she was not aware of her own abilities herself. But he needed to try.

Katara was at a loss. She had only just discovered how much she could do with water and she wasn't sure if she had reached her limit yet.

Healing abilities? She had heard stories of waterbenders able to cure ailments with their bending but she had never seen it done. She had never seen waterbending done at all.

Sokka was watching this exchange with interest. He had always belittled his sister's strange powers but now that they had manifested themselves more significantly, he was not sure how to react. And he was curious to see if she could do more with them.

"I honestly don't know," Katara answered sadly, "I could try but I would not know how."

Iroh took a deep breath. He had seen many waterbenders in his time and he felt that he probably knew more than this one. If he could only help her harness her own powers, he may be able to save Zuko as well.

"I have seen it done before," the old man explained, "and I will help you find out."

Katara nodded. If she had the ability to heal with her waterbending, she would finally be able to save Zuko. She was determined to do so more than ever.

"The healers I have seen," Iroh began to describe, "would bend a small orb of water over a wound. And then, this water would glow very brightly with great energy and in a matter of moments, the wound would be healed."

"I will try it," Katara said, unable to mask her excitement. She followed his instructions, raising a small orb of water from the jar and positioning it above Zuko's slashed arm.

Taking a deep breath, she carefully lowered the water to the wound and with all her will, wished to heal the wound. Closing her eyes in concentration, Katara prayed silently and fervently to the spirits to give her the power to heal and save the young firebender.

_Please, _she begged the Spirits, _please help me save him. Please guide my hands._

Iroh and Sokka waited in suspense as well, both watching the ball of water Katara had placed over Zuko's arm.

Then, from deep within her, Katara heard a voice, the same one which had spoken to her in her dreams, and bequeathed this mission to her. It was gentle and soothing, a distant echo, a whisper in the wind, calming her down and giving her more focus.

_Listen to your heart, _the spirit whispered to her, _and you will understand._

So Katara listened, and what her heart told her could not be understood with words. But inexplicably, she gained access to that hidden well of power that was she was born to wield.

And then, to everyone's relief, the water began to glow. Katara opened her eyes and saw that slowly the large cut was shrinking and that the blood had stopped flowing out.

Without moving her hands, she looked to Iroh with an excited smile and the old man smiled back at her.

"You did it! You did it!" Sokka could not resist shouting enthusiastically, "Katara, you have healing abilities!"

"Wait," Iroh remembered, "before you close the wound completely, do you think you could extract all the poison from his body first?"

"And how is she supposed to do that?" Sokka protested, "she only just learned how to waterbend. How do you expect her...?"

"Sokka," Katara interrupted, "don't worry. I think I can figure this one out on my own."

"I'm sorry if I ask too much of you," Iroh said apologetically, "and I don't have enough knowledge of waterbending to give you any guidance now."

"Don't worry," Katara reassured him, "I've gotten this far just by following my instincts and trusting the spirits."

_And listening to my heart, _she added quietly. She did not dare say that out loud yet.

"I'll manage," she told them as she began to focus on the next task in hand.

In her mind, she tried to imagine the poison, the hateful black liquid flowing freely through Zuko's veins, destroying him little by little, searing through his skin, clogging up his heart.

Katara tried to visualize that viscous darkness as it crept like the serpent that produced it, strangling its hapless victim, taking every last breath. As this vision grew clearer and clearer, she imagined herself the light that called this darkness, that summoned it to her.

With all her will, she called the poison, controlled it, made it flow into a neat, compact black blob surrounded by the glowing orb of water she had kept on Zuko's wound.

Slowly but surely, all the poison was emptying into her orb of water. Katara's brow was lined with beads of sweat but she did not waver. Her hands had begun to tremble and her muscles were strained. And yet, nothing dissuaded her from her purpose.

Iroh and Sokka watched her intently but both knew that they could do nothing to help her except make sure that her concentration would not be broken – by any interruption whatsoever.

Then, at length, Katara was able to extract all the poison. Gathering the large black blob in her hands, she raised it in the air, away from her patient's body. With careful manipulation, she led it away and dumped it in a large earthen bowl that Iroh held out for her. They placed the hated liquid as far away from them as possible but not where others could have access to it. It had been silently decided that they would find an effective way of disposing it later on.

Once this was done, Katara looked back at Zuko and smiled gratefully when she saw that his breathing had stabilized. His face had also relaxed and he had settled into a peaceful, painless sleep at last. With her remaining energy, she closed the rest of his wound.

Sokka caught his sister just as she was about to faint from exhaustion. She leaned back against her brother and sighed contentedly.

"Thank you," Iroh repeated to her again and again, each time more profusely.

The waterbender smiled kindly back at him, too tired to say a word.

"You did good, sis," was all Sokka managed to say to her.

He was more than impressed with the display she had just given and he had so many questions to ask her but he had the decency to reserve them for later. He was also quite worried about his little sister in the almost overprotective way that only older brothers had.

Katara looked at Zuko's serene figure and her smiled widened. She looked down on her tired hands and marvelled at them.

_I did it, _she thought triumphantly, _I saved him. With these hands, with my very own hands._

An air of tranquility and relief settled over the hut and the tension had dissipated for the time being. All the questions and explanations were postponed until the parties involved had recovered their strength. For now, they would take deep breaths and get some much needed rest.

Iroh had gone to be by his nephew and placed a hand affectionately on the latter's forehead. Zuko looked more at peace than he had in years and for this he was most grateful.

And then, the old man looked back at the person to whom he and Zuko owed their current happiness and safety as well.

She was no ordinary waterbender, to be sure. There was something greater about her, something he had never encountered before in all his years as a general.

Iroh was certain that she and Zuko would play key roles in ending that war. Why else would Fate have decreed for them to meet in such an extraordinary way?

But there was time enough to dwell on that later, Iroh concluded. They were all exhausted from the past events. Such a situation, in the mind of the retired general, called for one thing and one thing only.

"I think I'll put on some tea," Iroh announced cheerfully.


	6. Chapter 5

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: **Thank you for all your wonderful reviews! Hooray for those who saw the Disney references! Pocahontas isn't my favorite movie but the songs have a great influence on the shaping of this story. As I said, faster update. I need to move the story forward faster. Hope you enjoy.

**CHAPTER FIVE**

And that was how Kanna found them: Zuko lying peacefully in slumber, Sokka holding his tired sister close as she began to doze off, and Iroh happily boiling some tea (Katara had still been able to point out to the old man where the tea things were kept. Sokka, of course, never concerned himself with such domestic knowledge.)

Kanna had rushed back in a panic, bringing with her an assortment of potions and ointments, none of which was the one she needed but she still wanted to be as useful as she could.

Fortunately, the matter was satisfactorily settled and Zuko was out of danger.

Kanna sighed with relief and contentment. It seemed to her that her granddaughter had fulfilled her mission from the Spirits very effectively. She was dying to hear the details but she knew that she would have to be patient. All that would come later, without a doubt.

She smiled as the old firebender offered her a cup of tea.

They sat together in companionable silence. Sokka had also succumb to the extreme stress of the situation (and to the over exertion he had been doing because of all of his suspicions and protests). He had fallen asleep as well, still holding his sister.

The two elders wondered how Katara could continue sleeping with her older brother snoring almost in her ear. But they also figured that she was probably too tired to notice, fortunately for her.

"Your granddaughter is a very talented waterbender," Iroh told Kanna with praise, "and a great healer as well."

Kanna looked with surprise at him and he nodded. The old lady looked from Zuko's calm figure to Katara's and realized what had just happened and she marvelled at her granddaughter's abilities. Katara was capable of more than she could possibly imagine.

"It is such a pity that she never had the opportunity to develop her skills," Kanna agreed with a sigh.

"But it looks like one such opportunity has finally presented itself," Iroh observed, sipping his tea contentedly, "and she will be able to do a great many more if she practices more diligently, which I don't doubt she will do now that she has seen a fraction of her powers."

"I always knew that she was destined for something beyond the South Pole," Kanna confided carefully, somehow feeling that Iroh was someone to be trusted after all, "and I'm afraid that destiny has began its course. I worry for her, even if I know that she is strong enough to face whatever comes."

Iroh smiled knowingly and instinctively threw a glance at his nephew's slumbering figure. Kanna could tell that the old man loved his nephew a great deal more than uncles usually did and that he probably treated the boy like his very own son.

"Alas, that is the burden to be borne by the loved ones of young people destined for glory," Iroh observed, "as much as we try to give them guidance and support, there will always be tasks that they alone can accomplish. And unfortunately for us, all we can do is wait in dreadful suspense or watch in silence but we are unable to even be of use to them in the direst need."

"You seem to understand me perfectly, General Iroh," Kanna replied to the old firebender, at ease with his manner and agreeing with his words, "this war has forced our youth to grow older faster and to forsake the whims and wildness of childhood for more serious pursuits. I'm sure that as a prince of the Fire Nation, your nephew has endured the same fate."

"His father has disowned him, and myself," Iroh clarified, "so he is no longer welcome in his own country."

Kanna looked at the younger firebender gravely.

"I have to say that your family's actions never ceases to appall me," she whispered severely, "ours is not one of royalty, but we are so much happier."

"I heartily agree with you on that," Iroh replied with another dejected sigh, "ever since this war began, only the worst of the Fire Nation has come to be known. And hardly anyone even remembers when our people were simply prosperous and peace-loving citizens. All everyone sees is war and hatred, and that saddens me the most."

"This war is truly a terrible thing," he continued and then remembered a question he wanted to ask.

Motioning towards Katara and Sokka, Iroh asked Kanna how the war had particularly affected them.

"I hope you don't mind my asking," he added politely, "but I've been sharing my life story (and Zuko's) so far and I've gotten very curious about the lives of the people here, especially those of our saviors."

"It is no trouble at all, I assure you," Kanna replied with a benevolent smile, "although it is convenient that you ask this while Sokka is asleep for I am sure he would only protest."

They both laughed softly at this and Kanna began telling Iroh about her grandchildren. The older firebender listened intently as he heard all about Katara and Sokka, from their mother's death at the hands of ruthless Fire Nation raiders, their father's departure for the war two years ago, and their subsequent lives as leaders and protectors of the rest of the tribe.

He also heard about Katara's budding waterbending abilities although Kanna said that when the girl manipulated the waves of the raft earlier, that was the first time she had demonstrated her abilities most significantly.

Kanna was reluctant to tell him about Katara's dream. She believed that her granddaughter would have wanted to keep it secret, so she did. But she knew that the Spirits had already sent the girl on her journey.

"Your nephew, despite his origins, seems like a good person," Kanna observed to Iroh.

"He is, a truly good person but he is still confused about the path he is to take now that we are fugitives," Iroh explained, "and he is not yet able to understand what regaining his honor truly means."

"That is a difficult task, and a great burden as well," Kanna conceded, somehow sympathizing with the firebender.

"I know," Iroh replied, "but I am certain that when he recovers from his ailments, he will be well on the way to becoming the beautiful and kind prince he was always meant to be."

"I'm sure that with your guidance and Katara's healing, he will be," Kanna reassured him, "I am also hoping the best for my beloved granddaughter."

"We are in similar circumstances, then," Iroh said, "we are but bystanders in a world that shall be driven by young people like Zuko, Katara, and Sokka. We can only hope that they will find the right paths to tread in the future. And believe me, with all the conflicting values and visions that the war has brought about, finding the right way is not as easy as it seems."

--

Later on, when Sokka and Katara were awake, Iroh began to recount how he and Zuko had arrived at the South Pole in their current condition, and how Zuko had acquired that unnamed malady. There were still some loose ends that he needed to tie up hopefully before Zuko awakened.

"Zuko was determined to win his father's favor," Iroh told them, "and my brother made it particularly difficult (and in fact, impossible to do so.) My nephew was banished to capture the Avatar, whom you know has not been seen for the past one hundred years."

"So the Fire Lord even intended to kill the last airbender, huh?" Sokka commented, "that's sick, really sick."

"He wanted to destroy the world's last hope for peace," Katara said sadly, "that's worse than all the suffering he had already caused. To take away whatever shred of light was left for those in the dark."

Iroh sighed regretfully.

"But unfortunately, my brother is well-versed in the many different ways of warfare, and not all of them involve outward acts of violence," the older man explained.

"Zuko was opposed to some of his father's ways but he was so overcome with his desire to be loved by his father that he would do anything to gain his favor," Iroh added, "especially after that Agni Kai, all Zuko could think about was restoring his honor and going home. I could not really blame him for his blind determination. Exile is not a fate I would recommend to anyone.

His life in the Fire Nation, even as a prince, was far from perfect. I do not even think it was very happy. But that was the only home he had ever known and I understand why he would want to return to it."

Sokka and Katara looked at each other gravely at this and nodded. Neither of them could imagine being deliberately and cruelly sent away from the home they had grown up in. As Katara turned her eyes to Zuko, she felt a pang of pity for his miserable life.

"Since I found myself no longer welcome at court and because I cared deeply for my nephew, I decided to join him on this fruitless quest," Iroh continued, "if only so that he would not feel alone."

The retired general recounted how they had travelled all around the world in search of any sign of the Avatar's return. They had visited all the remaining Air Temples as well as many places in the Earth Kingdom. They had not dared enter the Northern and Southern Water Tribes or Ba Sing Se until they had nowhere left to search. Nevertheless, they were careful not to let their intentions be known.

He explained that they had not contributed to the war effort. Zuko was against using unnecessary violence to find the Avatar or to harm innocent civilians. Iroh described how his nephew spent his spare time training and honing his skills in firebending and how Zuko would never relax.

"Hmm, sounds like someone I know," Kanna had commented slyly and Katara replied with a defensive look.

"Then, everything changed when we received a message from the Fire Lord," Iroh recounted, his face growing dark, "claiming that he was unsatisfied with the progress of Zuko's search and that Zuko was not exerting enough effort to fulfill his duties, the Fire Lord branded us as traitors who were to be hunted down and killed if caught."

Katara and Kanna gasped in further shock and Sokka's eyes grew wide with indignation.

"But that's completely unfair!" Katara cried out, "the Avatar has not been seen for the past hundred years! How could the Fire Lord expect you to find him when so many have failed?"

"Fire Lord Ozai knew this well," Iroh replied gravely, "and he only sent that decree as an excuse to get rid of me and Zuko once and for all. We were not burdens to him but he felt threatened by our presence. He was paranoid and believed that Zuko and I would gather forces to try and overthrow him eventually. He thought that I would try to usurp him and reclaim my right to the throne."

"Bloody politics," Sokka muttered under his breath, while Katara and Kanna shook their heads.

"That is the harsh reality of the world when great power is involved," Iroh said resignedly, "I was not completely surprised but Prince Zuko was devastated that his father could think so ill of him."

"What happened then?" Katara asked with concern.

"Fortunately, the crew of our ship respected us more than they feared the Fire Lord, so we came up with a plan that would ensure everyone's safety," Iroh explained, "they remained fiercely loyal to us but we did not want to involve them in any danger or give more reason to the Fire Lord to suspect rebellion.

In spite of all their protests, Zuko and I decided to go into hiding. The rest of our crew would return to the Fire Nation and claim that they had gotten rid of us.

But as my nephew and I sailed the seas on our small boat, we were caught in a great storm. We were tossed about by the waves for several days, while the rain pelted down on us."

As Iroh continued describing the typhoon he and Zuko had been caught in, Katara could not help but remember her dream. But she decided that she would have enough time to dwell on it later.

"As if to add insult to injury, we were attacked by a vicious sea serpent," Iroh continued, "and although we were able to eventually slay the fell beast, Zuko did not escaped unharmed, as you may well know.

We had been floating about for a few days when you found us and just in time for Zuko's life to be spared. For this, and your gracious hospitality of us, I thank you, on behalf of Zuko and myself."

Katara and Kanna acknowledged his gratitude with welcome smiles. And even Sokka gave a reluctant nod.

--

For the next few days, Katara went boldly against her brother's wishes and tended to Zuko's health. The firebender continued to remain unconscious and Iroh was growing worried about his health. But at least, under Katara's care, Zuko's condition did not worsen and no traces of the poison were ever found.

"I can't believe you're going to play nursemaid to the son of the Fire Lord," Sokka had protested, "you must be going mad, Katara."

"I am doing the right thing, Sokka," his sister obstinately contradicted, "and you cannot stop me. This is my choice and I will face the consequences."

And though Sokka opened his mouth to protest further, his sister gave him a silencing glare and a condition which he could not find the ability to refute.

"I promise that I will not let this interfere with my other duties to the tribe," she announced, "and I will vouch for both Iroh and Zuko's behavior. You may hold _me_ accountable for whatever misconduct they may perform."

Iroh was greatly impressed by the girl's determination and likewise promised to behave.

Katara was all the more fiercely determined to fulfill the mission the Spirits gave to her in the dream now that she had discovered her healing abilities – which she would not have known of had it not been for Zuko's arrival. She also longed for him to finally wake up, to finally "meet" him and speak to him.

Not that she knew what she would say to him when that time came, but she would figure that out when it happened. For now, all she knew was that her dream had led her to this adventure and she was not going to doubt her heart anymore.

Kanna had decided to let Katara take the matter into her own hands. The older woman knew what it was like to rebel against everyone in order to uphold what you thought was right. She trusted in her granddaughter's judgment and chose to support Katara in whatever endeavor she decided to pursue.

The rest of the tribe knew better than to oppose Katara. They all admired and respected her enough to trust her decision and therefore to somehow welcome the two firebenders to the community, much to Sokka's dismay.

But since Iroh was proving to be a very helpful and benevolent guest, even the young Water Tribe warrior could not stay hostile to him for very long. The older firebender tried to make himself as useful as he could – helping with some manual labor or cooking, brewing tea, amusing the younger children (whom he had won over with his fatherly charm), and all manner of harmless chores.

Katara, for her part, was grateful for all his help since she had had to find time to take care of his nephew who had become slightly delirious and was prone to muttering to himself every now and then. At times he seemed to be reliving the most painful events of his life.

Once, while she was tending to him, she heard his voice for the first time.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I'm so sorry."

He did so repeatedly and so very sadly that Katara could not help but pity him. His eyes remained closed even as he whispered.

All she could do was give one of his hands a small squeeze of reassurance and hope that wherever he was, he would not feel so alone.

Sometimes, she would hear him say chant certain phrases over and over again. She understood some of them but was not sure why he would constantly relive such burdensome memories.

Once, he kept repeating, "Azula always lies, Azula always lies."

Another time, he would say, "Forgive me, Father, I only had the Fire Nation's interests at heart. I am your loyal son."

She would always ask Iroh about them and whenever she learned the answers, she found herself drawn to the young prince. She was growing more and more protective of him, for reasons she was not yet ready to admit, even to herself.

One morning, Katara woke up earlier than all the others and for some reason felt the urge to visit her patient before doing anything else. She did not understand what drove her to do so but without even braiding her hair, she proceeded to the hut where Zuko lay sleeping, her dark hair falling in waves on her shoulders.

She looked at him and saw no significant change in his condition. She sighed with relief and berated herself for being so foolish. Katara turned to go back home to get herself tidied up for the day.

She did not see two golden eyes open slowly and slightly.

The first thing that Zuko saw was a woman with long, dark hair, with her back to him. He was not fully conscious or awake but a flash of recognition registered in his still-befuddled mind.

Katara whirled quickly when she felt his hand grab one of hers.

"Mother," he whispered softly, calling out to her.


	7. Chapter 6

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: **Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews! So here's a little update. Zuko finally wakes up (but not at the beginning of the chapter). I milked his sleep for all it was worth! Hope you like this.

**CHAPTER SIX**

"_Mother_," he whispered, as he clutched her hand weakly.

Katara rushed back to his side, not knowing quite what to do but certain that at that moment, she must not leave him. It was too early to wake the others but she figured she would be able to handle this for the time being.

She noticed that though his eyes were slightly open, he was not fully awake. He did not even seem to be keenly aware of his surroundings. Katara decided that he was probably still deep in a dream. She would not contradict whatever he said for now, for fear of alarming him.

"Mother," he repeated, his tone slightly desperate, "I'm so sorry."

"Shh," she whispered soothingly, trying to calm him down since he seemed to grow more agitated.

"I'm so sorry," he muttered sadly, "I've failed you."

Katara was taken aback by this and for a few moments she did not know what to say to him. But when he kept repeating his regretful apologies, she decided that she would try to comfort him as best as she could.

"No, Zuko, that's not true," the waterbender said as gently as possible, "you shouldn't be sorry at all."

And to her surprise, he answered back, although he still seemed to believe that he was speaking to his mother. And based on what Zuko knew of his mother's fate, Katara realized that he thought he was speaking with her spirit.

"I lost my way," he replied sorrowfully honest but not pathetic, "and I'm so confused. I don't know what to do anymore. I wish I had you to guide me."

Katara was moved by this show of vulnerability from the person whom she had always believed to be strong and obstinate (at least based on his uncle's descriptions and her own observations). She thought carefully before she replied, trying to think what her own mother would have said in such a situation.

"I'll always be here for you, whenever you need me, you are not alone," she said reassuringly, realizing after she had uttered those words that she had spoken for herself as well.

"Thank you," he answered, finally seeming to relax, "I promise, I will restore my honor."

"I'm sure you will," she replied with a smile, "I know you will."

She felt his grip on her hand loosen, and his eyes closed once more. His breathing steadied and soon Zuko had fallen back into his deep sleep. Katara sighed with relief and slowly (and a bit reluctantly) extricated her hand from his.

The young waterbender stood up slowly and prepared to leave the hut, now sure that the patient was all right. Iroh had not yet arrived to visit his nephew and no one else seemed to be stirring in the village. Just as well, she thought.

Taking one final glance at the slumbering prince, she could not suppress a small smile as she left the room, looking fondly at the hand which he had held only moments before.

Upon further consideration, Katara decided that she would not speak of this small incident to anyone. It would remain safely kept and cherished in her memory, like a precious secret.

--

The next few days passed uneventfully. Zuko's condition remained the same but his mutterings decreased. Based on the expression of his face, he seemed to be growing calmer.

Katara observed that his countenance was more relaxed and this relieved her greatly.

"I'm glad your nightmares have stopped plaguing you," she whispered to him once, when she was sure that no one else was with them in the room.

Katara had developed this habit of talking to him whenever they were alone together. The things she would share ranged from the mundane to the profound.

Sometimes she would talk about the errands she had had to run or how annoying it was to deal with Sokka's continued skepticism. Other times, she would turn more serious and talk about her mother's death and how much she missed her father some days.

She would even share her doubts and fears about her waterbending skills and whether or not she would like to leave the South Pole, to go out and explore the world.

"I know it probably sounds silly and childish to you," she said with a short laugh, "you who have seen so much more of the world than I have. And I guess I envy you a little bit."

Katara didn't know why she always felt so at ease speaking to him that way. Of course it helped that given the current circumstances, he was nothing if not a good listener. He would not contradict her or discourage her in any way.

Such one-sided conversations were also her way of finding rest in the midst of the controlled chaos of her daily life.

She knew that he probably couldn't hear her anyway. But she was torn on this subject. A part of her wished he had heard all her stories, so that it wouldn't be as if she was speaking into a void. But another part of her wished he couldn't hear her or wouldn't remember any thing she told him. She was too embarrassed about most of what she had said anyway and dreaded to hear any response from him.

But there was one thing she was absolutely certain of and that was that she really wanted him to wake up soon. She longed to finally "meet" him, to finally know what he was really like. Iroh's stories were interesting but never enough for her. She had seen his face in a dream, she had saved his life, and listened to his mutterings but she knew very little else about him.

"I really hope you wake up soon, Zuko," she told him almost everyday, after her little dialogues with the sleeping patient, "because I would really like to meet you."

_And I hope that you would like to meet me too, _she always added silently to herself, too afraid and embarrassed to utter such words out loud.

--

Katara wasn't the only one who spoke to Zuko on her own. Of course, Uncle Iroh never failed to speak to his nephew whether or not they were alone together.

Although he knew it was a little mean to say so, Iroh once teased his nephew, saying that he preferred Zuko this way. After all, he was more cooperative and less obstinate.

All jests aside though, Iroh was also anxious for his nephew to end that seemingly interminable slumber. There were still so many things they had to figure out together, the foremost being there extended stay at the South Pole.

So far, things had been working out for both of them. The community had more or less accepted their presence there although there were still some members (namely Sokka) who continued to be wary of their motives.

Iroh actually felt that it was good that Zuko had been asleep for a while, giving the villagers enough time to adjust to the company of two firebenders. The old man was worried about how his nephew would deal with their new situation.

He had still not fully accepted his father's decree when they were attacked by the sea serpent and there were still a lot of loose ends to sort out between the two of them. What they would do during their exile was one thing.

Iroh did not really mind spending the rest of his life in the South Pole, although he would have preferred the climate in the Earth Kingdom. Nevertheless, the people here were friendly and hospitable and the children had taken a liking to him. He even contemplated putting up a small tea house in the village once they were more settled in. After all, given the cold weather, a hot cup of tea was always welcome.

But Iroh knew very well that Zuko would not long want to stay in the same place. His nephew was still unable to appreciate the beauty of a simple and quiet life. Besides, he was young and wanted to make his way in the world, even beyond the Fire Nation.

And based on his observations, Iroh knew that certain young Water Tribe members also longed for the same kind of freedom.

"Ah, the passion of youth," he confided to Kanna with a sigh, "it will be a challenge to keep them here for very long."

"I know what you mean," the old lady replied, "it seems a pity for them to be tied down by adult responsibilities."

"Don't worry," Iroh reassured her, "I'm certain that we will able to make some arrangements that will satisfy everyone. But everything depends on when this nephew of mine decides to wake up."

He glanced at Zuko's closed eyes and serene figure.

"He hasn't been getting enough rest for the past two years, or even maybe for most of his life," the old man observed with an amused smile, "but he sure has picked a strange time and place to catch up on his sleep."

--

He had been walking for days.

The winding road continued before him, and there was no end in sight. All he knew was that he could not stray from this path. Because there was nothing on either side of the way, just a great and seemingly unending abyss.

He had to keep going, he had no other choice.

He would not have minded if it had not been for the visions.

Every now and then, his memories would seem to come alive, and certain events would play out right before his eyes. He was powerless to look away but he so wished he could.

All the darkest moments in his life, all his foolish mistakes, everything was being repeated in front of him, blocking his way.

It was only when he had seen through the entire event that he was allowed to pass. He would scream or cry out, hot tears falling down his cheeks but no one could hear him.

He was completely alone.

He had tried running every now and then, hoping that by covering more ground faster, he would soon reach the end of that strange road. But running only seemed to have the opposite effect.

It seemed that the faster he ran, the longer the road winded ahead of him. So in time, he had stopped running and settled on a more comfortable pace.

He didn't know how long he had been in that peculiar emptiness. He vaguely remembered being caught in a great storm and being viciously attacked by a sea serpent.

Uncle had been with him then. But now, Uncle was nowhere to be found.

All he could do was keep on walking, mile after mile after mile.

He never seemed to grow physically tired. It was as if his body was a separate entity, existing in a different plane, a different world. This was his soul walking, taking this long journey towards where he did not even know.

All Zuko knew, all that he could hold on to was the thought that there was an end to this path and that he would return to the waking world very very soon.

Fortunately for him, he wasn't completely miserable. Sometimes, long after he had had to watch the painful events of his life unfold before him, he would hear voices.

At first, they were only soft whispers, and he could hardly make out what the voices were telling him. He could not even recognize who was speaking to him. But he could sense that the words being uttered were kind words, even words of encouragement perhaps.

So he was comforted.

Later on, the voices grew louder and clearer and he was already able to make out what they were saying to him. And the very sound of these people was enough to keep him going.

He was able to recognize the familiar voice of his Uncle Iroh, who spoke with his usual humor and wisdom. The only problem was that Zuko could never remember what Uncle Iroh told him. For as soon as the old man's voice fell silent, every word he had uttered escaped Zuko's memory.

This frustrated him for a time but then he learned to simply enjoy his uncle's company while it was to be had. He longed to see Uncle Iroh again. There were so many things he wanted to tell him. He dearly hoped that he would have that opportunity soon.

For the time being, just the sound of his Uncle's voice was enough to sustain. That and something else.

For there was another voice which spoke to him from the world beyond. It was not one he recognized, although its tone was always comforting.

This was a voice of a girl. And she spoke to him of many things, and though he never remembered any of them after she would leave, he was comforted by her every story.

He was only frustrated that he would forget all the things she would say about herself. For he knew that she would sometimes share her deepest thoughts with him and he felt useless when he could not respond, to give advice, encouragement, or even just to acknowledge that he was listening.

"I hope you don't take it against me," he would mutter, "but you can't hear me, no matter how loud I shout."

He wanted to meet this stranger somehow and hoped that he would as soon as he escaped that bizarre void. Her voice gave him hope and strength and he walked along that path in anticipation of hearing her again.

Even as he walked, more visions appeared before him, but this time, not all of them were unpleasant. There were scenes of his childhood, back when he had still been truly happy.

There were laughing faces and bright meadows. And a joy he had long forgotten.

He smiled at these and felt his spirits lift.

Then, there was a face, one that would flash by for the briefest moments so that he was unable to fully remember all its features. All he was able to retain in his memory were her eyes, those ocean blue pools which seemed to shine as they gazed upon him.

He figured that this face belonged to the girl whose voice he always heard and this made him all the more eager to meet her. He was not a romantic person but he did recognize the importance of this girl to him although he was not certain why.

Zuko somehow sensed that he owed this strange girl more than he could imagine, something beyond the mere comfort of hearing her voice filling that dark void. He was determined as always to find out.

--

That morning, she felt just as she did when she went to visit him and was mistaken for his mother. Katara had woken up suddenly and had that unnamed urge to check on her patient.

And considering what had happened the last time she felt this way, on the way to the hut she was filled with anticipation. Her heart was pounding fast and she was excited beyond anything she had ever known.

But when she stood before him, he looked just as calm and asleep as he always did.

Katara sighed with disappointment, but then smiled at her own silliness.

"Oh, Zuko," she breathed in amusement.

--

Zuko jerked his head, his eyes narrowed, his mind alert.

He had heard his name. Someone had called him. _She _had called him.

And for the first time in all the time he was trapped there in that dark and empty abyss, he could see the end of the road.

--

Golden eyes met blue ones and there was a moment of profound silence.

Before she could let herself be surprised, Katara was first overcome with a great admiration and wonder. Her face wore an expression of utter awe and she was amazingly relieved to finally see him awake.

Zuko was still slightly disoriented and had to blink several times before he could make sense of everything. But for that revelatory moment, all he could see were those ocean-hued orbs shining at him.

"It's you," were the first words Zuko ever uttered to Katara.


	8. Chapter 7

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: **Tricky chapter, this one, to say the least. I had to make certain adjustments to Zuko's character, given the changes in the situation. But it was challenging to strike a balance between adaptive changes and putting him out of character. Zuko is too darn complex! Whether or not I've succeeded in this endeavor is subject to your judgment.

Sorry for the texty parts of the latter half. There are so many events I want to write about while keeping within my projected number of chapters. And I want each chapter to be as tight and eventful as possible. Not as long and sverbose as those in "An Alliance of Traitors" for instance. Enjoy.

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Her heart was pounding and for the first few moments, her mind seemed to go blank.

It was the moment they had all been waiting for, Zuko was finally awake. And yet there she was, frozen, tongue-tied, and dazed, unable to do a thing. But as much as she berated herself at that moment, she could not find the nerve to speak.

He blinked at her a few times, still trying to make sense of everything around him. The two words he had uttered had so far been the only words spoken between the two of them since the girl was looking at him in wide-eyed silence.

He was at a loss for words as well and decided that he would let her be the next one to speak.

That is, whenever she decided to do that.

They remained that way for a few moments, merely looking at one another intensely. And of course, this didn't last very long because the situation soon became very awkward for both of them. They looked away from each other quickly and Katara leaned a little away from him, but she was not less nervous.

"It's you," he had told her, and Katara tried to figure out what he meant by that. His tone seemed almost, familiar. He did not seem to surprised by her presence there and not as uncomfortable as one would expect to be when faced by a complete stranger. Could it be that he recognized her somehow?

She even dared to think that maybe, by some wild chance, he had dreamt about her too?

A light flush came to Katara's face and she turned further away to hide her embarrassment.

Zuko looked at the girl in puzzlement. She had seemed more open when she had been speaking to him from the darkness. Now, all of a sudden, when finally faced with him, she had turned unbelievably shy.

That wasn't making things easy for him. He needed to figure out what to do next. And since she did not seem to have any intention of speaking to him, he decided to take the initiative. He slowly raised himself up until he was leaning on his arms and then, he faced her.

Katara had to turn back to him when she heard him clear his throat. Those golden eyes were staring at her again but she willed herself not to be daunted by them.

"Where am I?" Zuko asked forthrightly. There was no beating around the bush with him.

"At the South Pole, at a village of the Water Tribe," Katara was relieved to find she had the strength to answer at last.

"The South Pole?" Zuko repeated, wracking his memory for something that would explain his being here. He vaguely remembered sailing around with Uncle, sailing away from the Earth Kingdom. But how long ago was that?

"How long have I been here?" he asked her.

"Two weeks now," she replied quickly.

He narrowed his eyes and thought carefully. But unable to find a clear explanation, he turned back to the girl.

"And who are you?" he asked, again without ceremony.

The moment he had done so, he realized that he had come out rather rudely. He looked at her apologetically afterwards and was relieved to find that she had not taken offense.

He did not want to jump to conclusions and considering how fuzzy his head was, he needed to be sure that she was the owner of the voice that had spoken to him. Memory could be playing tricks on him so he needed some assurance.

"My name is Katara," she replied simply, "I'm a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe. My father is the chief."

"Katara," he repeated, as if trying the name on like a new tunic. She could not suppress a slight thrill at hearing him say her name.

He was about to introduce himself but hesitated slightly before saying his rank. Or rather, his former rank. It was hard for him to drop it but the memory of his father's last order seemed to make the reality sink in deeper.

Normally, he would have assumed a superior attitude in the presence of a mere Water Tribe peasant, even the daughter of the Chief. He knew quite well that the Southern Water Tribe was not as affluent as its northern counterpart. And even then, the Fire Nation considered all other nationalities inferior.

But considering his current state, he realized he had nothing to brag about, no great name to speak of, no honor, no home.

He would have to figure how to regain all these precious things later. For now, he had to deal with his strange circumstances.

To be honest, he wasn't particularly thrilled to find himself in that simple hut, in a region with freezing temperatures and among people who probably hated him and all that he stood for. But it seemed that he didn't have much of a choice.

"I'm Zuko, from the Fire Nation," he said simply, wanting the introduction to be done and over with as soon as possible, "or at least, I was. I've been banished."

"I know," she replied with a small smile, "you're the son of the Fire Lord."

"How did you..?" he began to ask when his eyes widened with realization. Everything seemed to be dawning upon him very slowly. He needed to get more used to his surroundings.

"You called me," he explained to her, "you were the one who was talking to me while I was asleep."

Katara's eyes widened at this and her cheeks reddened in greater embarrassment.

"Oh, so you could hear me?" she asked nervously, praying desperately that he would answer in the negative.

"Yes," he replied and Katara went white with horror. He noticed her discomfort.

"But for what it's worth, I don't remember anything you told me," he added quickly, "only that you spoke to me."

He saw her close her eyes and sigh with relief, the fist she had been clenching suddenly relax. He almost laughed but did not feel that this would be the appropriate course of action.

"Don't worry," he said with a sly look, "your secrets are safe with me."

"Thank you, I guess," she replied with an awkward smile.

There was a short silence before Zuko asked further questions.

"How do you know about me? How did you find me?" he inquired.

Katara had seen this coming and yet could not find a good enough explanation for all that had been happening.

"It's a bit of a long and strange story," was all she could manage to say.

Taking that into consideration, Zuko nodded. He was sure it was.

Zuko's golden eyes widened suddenly as he remembered something very important.

"My uncle," he said abruptly, "we were travelling together when we were attacked. Have you seen him? Do you know where he is?"

But before Katara could answer Zuko, the person in question burst through the door and flung his arms ecstatically around his now breathless nephew.

"Uncle," Zuko whispered to the teary-eyed Iroh, "tell me everything."

--

The next few days passed by in a flurry as Iroh made it his duty to make his nephew very well acquainted with their current circumstances.

When Iroh first entered the hut and was overjoyed to see Zuko finally awake, Katara decided to leave the two alone to talk. As she walked out as carefully as she could, she had turned back to smile at the reunion when she caught Zuko looking at her.

His expression seemed to say that they would be continuing their conversation later. And to be honest, she was quite looking forward to that.

Zuko listened in varying degrees of shock as Iroh related all that had happened to them in the past weeks and how they had come to the South Pole.

The young prince was also further surprised to learn just how much he was indebted to the gentle waterbender whom he had first seen.

He, in turn, told Iroh about all the things he had seen as he traversed the dark void of his dreams. Iroh listened intently as his nephew described every vision, every memory, and every sound. He did not understand all that was happening to them but the older firebender had some vague notions about it.

And considering Zuko's connections to both Avatar Roku and Fire Lord Sozin, such conflicts were understandable. Iroh sighed as he listened. There was still so much Zuko needed to learn about his heritage, so much he needed to understand.

But all of this would be overwhelming to the young man, especially since he had just recovered from a serious ailment. Iroh thought more about it and realized that maybe their sojourn in the South Pole (for as long as it would last) was the time for him to slowly and carefully tell Zuko everything.

For his part, the scarred firebender felt slightly unnerved that Iroh had divulged so much information about them to complete strangers.

"Uncle, how could you have told them all about us? All about me?" he protested, red with slight outrage and great embarrassment.

"You must see reason, Zuko," Iroh responded, "I could not afford to conceal anything from our benefactors. If I had lied or hidden some facts, they would not have taken us in so hospitably. You in particular are greatly indebted to Katara."

"I know that," Zuko answered gravely, "it just seems awkward for a stranger to know so much about me."

"Perhaps it is time for you to be more open," his uncle counselled, "our circumstances are drastically different now. But before we can decide what path to take from here, we still have to fulfill our moral obligations to those who have done so much for us."

Zuko sighed and cringed slightly. Iroh smiled at his nephew sympathetically. The young firebender would have to make many great adjustments to the way of living here. It would not be easy, but it was necessary.

"I am well aware of all that, Uncle," Zuko said resignedly, "I guess I'm just going to have get used to some changes."

This answer satisfied Iroh greatly. The old man was glad to see that his nephew had grown so much in just a short time. And for his part, Iroh was also very very relieved that Zuko had changed when he did.

It would really not do to have the old Zuko imposing himself on the people there.

And having met Sokka, Iroh was certain that there would be more than just friction between those two. At least, with Zuko's milder attitude at present, severe damage would be prevented.

The old Zuko would have been imperious and arrogant, belittling the members of the Water Tribe and treating them as lowly servants. The old Zuko would have bellowed orders to the others and expected to be promptly obeyed. He would have acted as he was superior to them, as if he was every bit the prince his rank had formerly suggested.

But Iroh was proud to see that Zuko had very much improved. For a while, when the boy had not taken too well to the order to have him killed (in reality, WHO would take such a thing well in the first place?), Iroh had been worried that Zuko would break down completely.

Yet, the boy had healed, in many ways than he had been expected to.

"Perhaps being stung by a vicious sea beast has its advantages," Iroh thought mischievously.

But all jests aside, the wise retired general knew that their recent experiences had humbled his nephew. And he could sense that Zuko would get better still.

The tea-lover knew that while Zuko may not enjoy living in the South Pole, among foreigners (mostly women, children, and Sokka), the young man would take his debt to Katara very, very seriously (as he did everything else in his life).

Iroh's eyes twitched as he remembered an important facet of Zuko's character which did not seem to have disappeared.

The old man looked at his nephew nervously and saw that spark of almost obsessed determination light up Zuko's face.

Iroh sighed. He dearly hoped that Zuko would not be as "passionate" about paying his debt to Katara as he had been about hunting down the Avatar. Iroh hoped not, for Katara's sake.

--

Iroh beamed proudly as he watched his nephew over the next few days. Zuko had taken to the task of repaying the Water Tribe's kindness steadfastly (if not a bit reluctantly). But not being very sociable in nature, some of his first attempts at helping were rather awkward.

Katara had always been willing to help integrate him into the tight-knit little community, much to her brother's disgust. When the two had been introduced, Sokka had grown as wary as ever and Zuko had narrowed his eyes as well. But at a nudge from Iroh, the young firebender restrained himself and bore all of Sokka's glares with surprising magnanimity.

Zuko had decided that between Sokka's constant suspicion and Katara's constant concern, the latter was the lesser evil. He was still slightly shy and awkward around her but definitely preferred her company to the others'. And since it was to her that he owed so much, he was eager to be of as much use as possible.

Unfortunately for them, ever since he had recovered, they had not had a moment alone to continue their conversation. Everywhere they went, they were surrounded, by the stalking Sokka, the amused Kanna and Iroh, and the curious children who had grown out of their initial fear of the scarred young firebender.

They had even asked him to demonstrate his bending (just slightly). He had sighed and rolled his eyes but obliged them nevertheless. But he had to control his displays to small flames so as not to startle them or give Sokka any cause to kick him out of the village. Not that Katara would have allowed that but Zuko and Iroh wanted to keep to the safe side.

Katara was all smiles as she watched her fully recovered patient interact with the members of her family. She had often berated Sokka for being so wary but since he was just about as stubborn as she was, he would not let his guard down around Zuko. The latter learned to ignore him and concentrate on helping the others.

One day, they all discussed the topic of bending. Sokka wanted none of it, Kanna was supportive. Zuko wanted to resume his training with Iroh, and Katara was eager to learn more about controlling her element. Iroh was pleased with such a welcoming environment.

"I think it would be best for you to find a waterbending master, Katara," Iroh suggested, "but since those are mostly in the Northern Water Tribe and we are not about to leave the South Pole any time soon, I may perhaps share some basic forms with you."

"Thank you so much, General Iroh," Katara cried excitedly, "that would be progress at least."

"It would be my pleasure to train you," Iroh replied with a laugh, "and how many times do I have to tell you to call me 'uncle'."

Katara blushed slightly at this and smiled at him.

"How can you teach her firebending forms, Uncle?" Zuko protested, "they can't be applied to waterbending. They are completely different!"

"Maybe not as different as you think," Iroh explained (and he was not just referring to the bending arts), "but some of the firebending techniques I developed on my own, I learned by watching waterbenders. You have to understand that all the elements are connected somehow, and not just by the Avatar. We have to understand how to keep them in harmony, if we want the world to be at peace someday."

Zuko and Katara understood the significance of this and nodded gravely. Kanna smiled at the wisdom in those words and was grateful for Iroh's arrival and ability to teach them more of the world. Iroh glanced at the pouting face of Sokka who was skulking in one corner hard-headedly.

"But we cannot focus on bending alone since there are only three benders in this village," Iroh began, "perhaps Zuko and Sokka could sometimes spar using the available weapons. I understand that Sokka here is quite the swordsman."

At this, Katara and Kanna snorted loudly, and tried their best to suppress their laughter. Sokka glared at them before looking first at Iroh and then narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the younger firebender. Zuko remained impassive, trying to look as neutral as possible.

"And why should I spar with _him_?" the Water Tribe warrior said, crossing his arms stubbornly and narrowing his eyes at Zuko.

Zuko rolled his eyes. But he did see the value in having a sword sparring partner. At least he would be able to have some practice, even just in beating Sokka up.

"My nephew is very skilled with dual broadswords," Iroh explained, "and it would be an opportunity for you both to hone your skills (and not your swords)!"

"Hmmph," Sokka sniffed, "I still don't trust him."

This time, Kanna and Katara rolled their eyes. They had heard this one many times before.

Zuko rolled his eyes again and then though that there was probably only one way to deal with this.

"If I had wanted to kill you, Sokka," Zuko could not resist saying mischievously, "you would be dead by now."

The room fell silent.

Zuko was looking intently at Sokka, waiting for his reaction. Iroh, Kanna, and Katara were also waiting for the boy's reply, slightly nervous.

"Don't you think that was a little drastic,"Iroh whispered to Zuko, while giving his nephew a slight nudge.

"Wait and see," Zuko whispered back.

Sokka first looked appalled and then gave an expression akin to "I told you so" while wagging his finger at Zuko. But when he saw the serious faces of the others, his eyebrows twitched and his jaw dropped.

And then, after what seemed like an eternity, Sokka sighed and nodded slowly.

"Fine," he muttered, "but only because I feel like it."

Zuko grinned smugly, seeing his challenge accepted. Everyone else sighed with relief.


	9. Chapter 8

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: **Thanks for all your lovely reviews! Some parts here I don't elaborate on very much since there is so much that still needs to happen in the story. I trust that you will all appreciate it though.

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"I'm telling you, they're going to murder us in our beds!"

"Oh, come off it, Sokka," Katara complained, slapping her forehead exasperatedly, "try to lose graciously for once."

But her brother was adamant in his protests while his worthy opponent calmly examined his swords.

From the other side of the makeshift arena, two factions of Water Tribe children were arguing, the others cheering the current champion and the others defending their fallen leader and joining in his outraged rants, even if they did not quite understand everything he was saying.

Hardly anyone did, since extreme fury was causing Sokka to slur his words. Normally, Zuko would have lashed out at him for being so distrustful.

But he had beaten him at all their matches anyway, so the firebender was letting Sokka sit to nurse his wounded pride (and sore arms).

Katara had long since given up on comforting her brother since she knew he was just acting like a spoiled sport. From a distance, Kanna shook her head disapprovingly at Sokka's attitude. It had gone beyond being amusing already.

"Really," the grandmother commented, "I thought I taught that child to be better than this."

And from the sidelines of that wide space which served as the battle arena for the two young men, some of the women in the village exchanged necklaces and other trinkets which they had used to bet on the winner. Even if the odds were always against Sokka, some of his kinsmen wanted to show him support by betting that he would win.

But so far, he never had and every duel had always ended in him heaping accusation upon accusation, and excuse upon excuse about his own failure.

But in spite of all this, the banished prince had learned to be patient with his host, although there would occasionally be some smoke spouting from his nostrils. The younger boys from the Water Tribe were continually fascinated by this phenomenon and always flocked to Zuko to watch it occur, which only made more smoke appear as he struggled to keep his temper in check.

"They're just children, they're just children," Zuko would chant, using up all his concentration. Iroh was always amused at this and impressed at his nephew's growing forbearance.

The old general wasn't helping Zuko in this respect, though, as he readily joined in the children's merriment and only added to his nephew's torment.

He even dubbed Zuko the "Dragon of the South Pole," which only amused the children further and really played on Zuko's patience.

The rivalry between the two young men was growing as Sokka was always eager to impose himself on Zuko and to show him up. But whenever they would spar, Zuko always won, even if he was going easy on the other boy.

Once, when Zuko was looking particularly smug about his recent victory, Iroh berated him and told him to act more humbly.

"It isn't a very even match to begin with," Iroh lectured his nephew, "you've had the opportunity to train with great masters and to apply your skill when necessary. You've had more experience than he so you had better cut him some slack."

Iroh was really giving Sokka lessons and the boy was not too stubborn as to refuse the lessons from the older and wiser man.

So fortunately for Sokka, Zuko no longer rubbed in the fact that he was the superior swordsman. But every now and then, Zuko would try to be helpful by giving some useful tips which Sokka would openly refuse.

At first, the firebender had taken offense and had muttered something about "just trying to be nice". But he changed his attitude when one night, Katara led him to a deserted part of the village where, from behind some blocks of ice, they watched Sokka practice some of the moves that Zuko had shown him.

The Water Tribe Warrior was just too proud to admit that he was flourishing under Iroh's training. He was actually taking Zuko's advice as well.

"I hope you won't be too hard on him," Katara had asked Zuko once in private.

He had looked at her in puzzlement. Because of his family's circumstances, he wasn't really accustomed to seeing a sister looking out for a brother although this was a perfectly normal thing to do. Azula certainly never cared for him, except if she had an opportunity to bring him down.

"I know my brother can be a stubborn and silly idiot sometimes," she explained with a laugh, "but he does mean well, although it doesn't always come out right."

"That's for sure," Zuko added wryly, rolling his eyes.

"But he's just trying to look out for all of us," she said, "in his own way. I hope you understand. He just needs some time to get used to all this."

He pondered her words for a few moments and knew that she was telling the truth. Of course, it was not easy for all of the people in the South Pole to accept and his uncle's presence there.

So annoyed though he was at Sokka, Zuko decided to be patient. And Katara was glad when he nodded.

He was surprised at his own increasing threshold for tolerance. When he sometimes tried to remember what he had been like before he and Iroh had arrived at the South Pole.

There must have been something in that sea serpent's poison that affected such a drastic change in him. Whatever it was, he felt very different and yet slightly impressed at how he had improved.

When he wasn't busy kicking Sokka's butt at swordplay or doing some manual work to help the villagers, Zuko resumed his firebending training with Iroh.

Having seen the improvement in Zuko's attitudes and character, Iroh was more confident about teaching his nephew some more new techniques. And the old man was even more impressed with Zuko's growing skill.

Iroh kept this mostly to himself but he believed that in time, with the progress Zuko was making at present, he would be able to best even his sister, the firebending prodigy, in an Agni Kai. And though he shuddered at the possibility, Iroh believed that Zuko could even face his father in the arena.

Iroh, of course, hoped that it would not come to that. But given their family situation, it was appalling but probable. So it was really important for his nephew to work hard to hone his skills.

The old man also knew that Zuko was pouring all his energy into his training because he wanted to forget (whenever he could) that his father wanted him dead and that he would no longer be welcome in his own home whether or not he captured the Avatar.

The thought of the last airbender was now furthest from the young firebender's mind. He had to figure out a way to get home, to face his father somehow. But though he and his uncle had discussed this amongst themselves for many nights, they were both still at a loss about how to go about things.

Neither of them wanted to overstay their welcome at the South Pole although only Sokka seemed eager for them to leave. Katara, Kanna, and the others were glad about their presence.

Katara, for one, was grateful that Iroh was sharing his limited knowledge of waterbending to her. Iroh could tell that her talent was beyond that of just any waterbender. She may even have been a prodigy.

She was creative and resourceful, able to develop her own techniques when she did not know what to do. She certainly was diligent enough (her determination equalled even Zuko's) and only needed a proper master for her to become one herself.

When she had been able to learn some fighting forms with her waterbending, he had even asked Zuko to spar with her. She was a pleasanter opponent than Sokka so Zuko did not mind.

He was not too hard on her and was more encouraging since she was more open to suggestions. They learned to deal with their elements more effectively since before then they had never really fought with benders of other elements before.

But as much as Iroh knew that Katara must find a master, he did not want to suggest that she leave the South Pole and the people and family she served so faithfully.

And yet, he sensed a sliver of restlessness in the young girl, and that spark of yearning to know more of the world beyond her home. She was tied down by her duties and obligations but she needed to be freed.

Even Sokka seemed to gaze at the horizon more often, and Iroh knew that this was not just because he wanted to see his father's ships appear.

Those were the tensions that he had yet to discuss with the siblings' grandmother. There seemed to be more in store for Sokka and Katara than just staying in their small village.

Zuko was certainly eager to leave, to live a vastly different life, but he too had begun to be tied down by the life he owed to Katara. But she knew how bad he wanted to go back home.

She had often seen him walk near the coast late at night, pensively gazing at the ocean, just as she used to do, when she had been waiting for him.

She would sigh heavily but she knew that those wounds were already beyond her power to heal.

She had not found it in herself to tell him about the dream or the Spirits. She was too embarrassed. Kanna had often encouraged her to tell him about it but she had always refused.

"Exactly what am I going to say to him, Gran-gran?" she asked once, "hi, I had a dream that the Spirits of the Ocean and Moon sent you to me to be healed. He'd never believe me."

"How do you know that?" Kanna had protested, "I daresay, he and his uncle have seen many strange things. Why don't you just give it a try, at least?"

But she never did.

Katara was always too nervous around him, and yet she wanted to stay near him. She attributed this to a healer being protective of her patient but Kanna and Iroh knew better.

But the two elders decided to give the matter more time to really dawn upon the two.

For the time being, they would let Zuko and Katara learn more about each other on their own.

Zuko found that he was rather enjoying the waterbender's company and though he did not always speak to her, they would sometimes walk around the village together in companionable silence.

After a while, the firebender even found that he was at ease enough with her to speak to her about his problems. She was always happy to help and was glad that for the first time she was the one listening to him instead of her being the one pouring out all her fears and nightmares to him.

One night, as he stood gazing at the moonlit waters of the ocean, Katara approached him.

"I know you want to go home," she said quietly.

"I can't," he replied simply, "even if I wanted to."

"You'll find a way back, I'm sure of it," she said encouragingly, "you're very strong, you've endured so much already."

"Thank you," he said, turning to face her, "but you've been through a lot as well. And you've had to be strong too."

"I think we all must be, because of this war."

"My father's war, and I carry the blame."

"But you've never done anything to help in the war effort."

"And neither have I done anything to stop it. I've been deluding myself into thinking that we were such a great nation, that we were doing a service to the world. But now I see that all we've done is caused pain and suffering to so many."

She could not think of a reply to that.

"This is not what my mother would have wanted me to be," he confided, "even if I know that she is alive somewhere, I cannot show my face to her, not like this."

"Zuko," the waterbender said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "you're a good person. I think you're mother would be very proud of you. And I think that you should try to find her. She would surely be glad to see you, after all these years."

"Thank you, Katara," he told her with a small smile. She smiled back shyly.

And again, hearing her name spoken by him made her heart rate increase slightly.

But these conversations did not occur very often. Mostly they enjoyed walking with each other without saying a thing. That was more than enough.

They were willing enough to admit that they were good friends. But that was as far as they would go for the time being.

--

"If you still can't tell Zuko about the dream," Gran-gran said one day, "then, at least you should tell his uncle."

"Uncle Iroh?" Katara asked, "but why? Why burden him with more than he should have to bear?"

"Aside from his being wise and sympathetic, you mean," Kanna replied, "I belive that he might have a better understanding of all this Spirits business than we have. He mentioned having travelled to the Spirit World at one point and I do not think he would fabricate such an important event."

Katara mused on this silently and carefully. But Kanna was usually right about these things and she knew it.

"Take my advice, Katara," Kanna urged, "we should not keep this matter to ourselves, especially since Zuko is involved anyway. Perhaps Iroh might be able to help us unlock the secrets of the dream."

"You must be right," Katara agreed, finally deciding to tell Iroh about her dreams.

--

The old firebender listened intently, his brow knotted and his eyes narrowed as Katara related her dreams to him. Kanna had accompanied her granddaughter and watched the old man's pensive expression.

Kanna knew that her suspicions had been more or less accurate since Iroh did not look too surprised about what he was hearing. He sipped his tea slowly, as if mulling everything over very, very carefully.

When Katara had finished, she looked at Iroh and waited apprehensively for his reaction. To her great relief, he did not look at her with either amusement or disbelief. At least, he had taken her seriously (as she knew Sokka would not. She had yet to tell her brother about this. Finding the right timing to do so was very difficult.)

After several suspense-filled moments, Kanna broke the silence that had filled the room.

"Well," the woman began, "what do you make of all this?"

"We can never understand the exact intent of the Spirits, that is beyond our realm," Iroh explained, "but I do have some ideas about this dream of yours. That the spirits had communicated to you in such a way is very significant, Katara. This has happened very rarely to people other than the Avatar."

"But I've fulfilled my mission, I think," Katara said, "and yet, I don't know what I'm supposed to do next. I have not had any new dreams, nor heard any voices, no instructions whatsoever."

"I fear that is the trouble with the Spirits sometimes," Iroh told her sadly, "but don't you fret too much. I am certain that all this is more important than it seems and that, if I venture to say this, these dreams and these recent events are the beginning of the end of this war."

Katara and Kanna looked at each other and then at Iroh, their eyes wide.

"Do you really think so?" Katara asked apprehensively.

Iroh nodded gravely.

"If it is, if what you say is true," the young girl began excitedly, "then, I will do everything I can to help."

Before Iroh could say anything, they were interrupted by Zuko's arrival. Seeing the serious looks on their faces, the young firebender excused himself and made ready to leave but Iroh stopped him.

"Zuko, you must listen to this as well, since you are involved," Iroh told his nephew.

Katara grew red with embarrassment as Zuko took a seat near his uncle, the former looking at the latter with puzzlement.

"And there's something more I must tell you," Iroh added seriously, "the truth about your great grandfather."


	10. Chapter 9

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: Thanks for all th reviews, everyone. I appreciate it. I have a little deal/request that I'd like you all to consider.**

**Chapter Ten is just about finished, and it will only take a short while for me to post it.**

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**CHAPTER NINE**

For the first few moments, no one could say a word.

Iroh sipped his tea and waited for all of what he had said to sink in before anyone could react. He sighed heavily. This was not going to be easy for them to absorb.

And yet, for all that, he had not yet told them everything. But he figured that he had to reveal all that he knew at a more reasonable pace. It would not do to overwhelm them with information.

So he had started from the past, and would move on to the present, presently.

He had told Zuko, Katara, and Kanna about Zuko's unique ancestry, and the legacy of conflict his forebears had allowed him to inherit.

They had listened in growing shock and wonder as the old retired general told them about the great friendship that had once existed between the Avatar and the Fire Lord. He told them of the diverging paths of Roku and Sozin and of Sozin's blind desire for power and control of the world. They heard about how two formerly best friends were forced to take opposite sides, and to become bitter enemies at the end.

And then, Zuko listened with widening eyes, as his uncle explained that his mother, Ursa, was in truth Avatar Roku's granddaughter, and his very own great-grandfather.

The young firebender had clutched his head in confusion, and remained said nothing when Iroh finished speaking. Katara looked at him sympathetically but was at a loss as to how to comfort him.

And she knew that Iroh was not yet finished telling them everything so she waited with baited breath.

But knowing that Zuko was related to both the Avatar and the Fire Lord was an astounding discovery, and Kanna knew that such an event did not come to pass merely by chance. For the first time, she truly believed in the ineffable powers of the great Spirits.

Surely they had something in store for such a descendant?

After giving the members of his audience some time to recover from his story, Iroh began the next part, which was not really unknown to Katara and her grandmother.

He told Zuko about Katara's dream, while the waterbender looked away uncomfortably, unable to face Zuko. Kanna put a hand on her granddaughter's shoulder to reassure her but Katara nevertheless felt too embarrassed to speak.

But when she had spoken to Iroh of it before, and he had asked if he may be the one to tell Zuko about it, she had agreed. She had said that she was too shy to do the deed herself. So she had expected this, but not following the already explosive discovery about Zuko's past connections.

"Don't look so downcast, Katara," Iroh told her gently, "I'm sure that you are exaggerating the effect that this revelation will have on Zuko. Besides, I believe there is something you should know as well."

This last statement caused Katara to look up curiously. It was then that she also caught sight of Zuko's face and she was utterly surprised by what she saw. Zuko was surprised, of course, but there was a certain knowledgeable look in his eyes, as if he truly and undoubtedly believed all that the dream signified.

Maybe it's because he has just discovered his own spiritual connections, Katara thought. She was eager to hear what Iroh meant about something she should know.

"I've had similar dreams too before we arrived here," Zuko said slowly, but looking intently at Katara, "and that was how I recognized you when I woke up even if I did not know your name."

It was Katara's turn to be surprised. Both of their faces were tinged with red blushes now, both of them all of a sudden shy in each other's presence.

But at Iroh's nudging, Zuko described his dream. It was indeed similar to Katara's, though not quite as specific, and more related to his element. Instead of the Moon and the Ocean, there were Dragons and the blazing light of the sun.

"I was standing alone in a deserted, dry area, the sun burning brightly above me," Zuko began, his face turning grave as he remembered the details of the dream, "I didn't know where I was and when I started walking, two large dragons appeared out of nowhere and then, I would stand very still as they flew around me, their bodies criss-crossing. One dragon was blue, and another was red. They made no sound as they passed me but since they are the revered first firebending masters, I stood in awe of their presence.

And then, as suddenly as they had arrived, they both blew large flames above me, and I found myself completely surrounded by the fire that they had unleashed. But I was not hurt or burned and the flames hardly licked at me.

And these were not ordinary flames, either. They were in many different colors, and the combination of such fires was really beautiful. It's impossible to describe in words how beautiful that fire was.

And then, as I gazed in awe of that colorful curtain of flames, the fire began to move about, forming a face."

He paused here and slowly looked Katara in the eye.

"Your face," he said simply, struggling to suppress the blush that was rising to his cheeks. After a few moments, he had to look away because things were getting awkward.

Katara blushed harder and smiled slightly. She could not believe what had just been said. Just as she had first seen him in dreams, so had he.

Kanna looked at Iroh knowingly and they exchanged a glance that meant that they were proud and excited for the two young people before them.

And yet knowing how shy Zuko and Katara still were to each other, they would not mention one of the strong connections they believed the Spirits had led the two benders to. The young ones would have to sort out their feelings on their own, and find an understanding, the old-fashioned way.

But for now, everyone acknowledged, that by the power of the Spirits, or the Universe, or any of the forces that be, Katara's and Zuko's destinies were irrevocably intertwined.

--

"I can't stay here any longer," Zuko said simply, his short, dark hair being tossed about by the cold, South Pole wind. He was looking grimmer than usual, and that was saying something.

"And where do you propose to go?" Iroh replied, seemingly unconcerned by Zuko's announcement.

"I need to follow my destiny somehow," the young firebender replied, "even though I don't quite know where it will lead me."

"And what makes you think that your destiny does not lie here?" Iroh asked Zuko slyly.

Zuko looked at his uncle in puzzlement but saw that Iroh was serious about his suggestion.

"I don't know," Zuko replied dejectedly, "but I can't just stay put in one place, waiting for some thing to happen to me. My life is passing me by and I have nothing to show for it."

"You talk as if you've lived such a long life," Iroh said, slightly amused, "I will admit your short life has been more eventful than others, but you are still very young, Zuko. There is so much more in store for you. And sometimes, you don't have to go out to find your destiny. You just have to wait patiently because wherever you are, your destiny will always find you."

Zuko said nothing after this. Iroh sighed pensively. The old man was slightly worried because it did not look like Zuko believed him.

--

"What am I to do now?" Katara asked no one in particular, just wishing to send that question out to the universe.

"Now would be a good time for the spirits to send me another prophetic dream or vision," Katara then said with slight exasperation, "any thing that would help me make more sense of this situation."

"Did I mention how the Spirits liked to be vague?" Kanna commented wryly. Katara gave her grandmother a look but the old lady merely shrugged.

"With all that Iroh and Zuko have told us in these past few days, I no longer know what to think," the confused young girl continued, "I finished saving Zuko's life, but what happens now? What is he to do? Am I even of any use to him now?"

"Don't you dare think that, Katara," Kanna counselled gently, "because I know and no doubt he knows just how much good you've done for him, and how much more you are doing for him even long after you healed his wounds."

"What are you talking about, Gran-gran?" Katara asked, raising an eyebrow, "how is letting him help around the village and spar with me and Sokka helping him aside from giving him some practice?"

"It's not that, Katara," her grandmother replied, "you are being a good friend to him, keeping him company, and speaking to him. It doesn't seem like he has had anyone care for him lately other than his uncle."

"But sometimes I think he gets annoyed at my presence," Katara said doubtfully.

"Why do you say that?" her grandmother inquired.

"There are some times when he would just become very serious and very silent," Katara described, "and on these occasions I would often wonder if he was just too polite to tell me to just leave him alone."

"I think he's been left alone way too much in his life," Kanna explained, "that he isn't quite accustomed to constant company such as we are. And I'm sure that if he didn't want you to be there, he would have found a way of telling you so."

Katara thought about this for a moment, and then smiled gratefully at her wise grandmother.

"Now that I think about it," the young waterbender conceded, "that has always been his way. He doesn't talk too much but he means what he says and he has a high sense of honor. I do not think he is capable of deceiving me."

It was Kanna's turn to smile at her granddaughter. Katara caught this look and blushed slightly, bowing her head.

"You're going to have to admit it sooner or later, you know," Kanna instructed the other girl with mock sternness, "and I sure would like to be the first to hear your confession."

"I'm afraid," Katara whispered after considering the thought for some moments, "and this, this feeling, only makes me even more confused. And I'm not even sure that he feels the same way. He is so difficult to read most of the time."

"Puzzlement, fear of rejection, uncertainty," Kanna enumerated, "those are the symptoms all right. And it helps that you two seem truly _destined _to meet."

"But do you think the spirits intended for this to happen?" Katara asked with worry and concern, "do you think that this has something to do with ending the war or saving the world?"

"You've got ambitious plans there, Katara," Gran-gran answered with a smile, and then added, "but then, whether or not it was intended for you to meet him, aren't you still glad that you did?"

Katara looked with wide-eyes at her grandmother and blushed again, unable to hide the truth in her blue eyes.

Kanna shook her head with a smile of amusement. She could not help but admit that she had long been looking forward to when Katara would confide such things to her.

It was always very exciting to be listening to such romantic quandaries and it had been too long since any one had confided such feelings to Kanna. She did not want to make the girl more comfortable than she already was but Kanna could distinctly remember Katara's mother acting in a very similar fashion.

But of course, that was a completely different story. Hakoda and Kya had a relatively uncomplicated romance. But, Kanna had to admit, that their love story paled in comparison to that of their daughter.

After all, neither of Katara's parents had been forewarned by prophetic dreams from the Spirits about the other's coming. Kya had not saved her husband from certain death. They had not had to deal with the doubt and suspicion of the other's family because they were from the nation of the enemy. Hakoda was certainly not the son of a man who had continued a hundred years of bloodshed.

And yet, in spite of all these differences, and even in spite of the sheer distance between them (literally and figuratively), fate had brought them together.

And that, Kanna firmly believed, was no laughing matter.

--

He didn't turn around even when he heard her walk up to him carefully. Everyone else was asleep and a chilly wind was blowing that night. They were both wearing thick coats and yet they could not help but shiver.

For the first few minutes, they said nothing to each other, as they were used to. They simply looked out onto the glassy surface of the ocean, gleaming in the moonlight, the wind whispering secrets that they knew not of.

Everything was so serene, so peaceful. It unnerved him to a certain extent because he had been so used to movement and chaos. But he was also strengthened, rejuvenated by that calm. And by her presence there, although he was not fully aware of that fact yet.

And then, as usual, she broke the silence.

"What do you make of all this?" she asked simply.

It was the first time they had spoken of Iroh's revelations in the past few days. It had taken a while for all of it to sink in and even longer for them to find the courage to discuss it with one another.

Heaven knows they had pondered more than enough on the mysteries on their own. But this discussion simply could not be avoided. They were both directly involved, connected by the dreams, the incidents, everything now seemed to have led to this.

He looked at her gravely and earnestly and saw the questions in her eyes. And he felt sorry that he had no clear answers to them.

"I don't know," he replied softly, "I don't know what to think now, what to do."

"Me too," she replied, "the Spirits aren't exactly clear about things."

"Nothing was ever clear to me," he answered, "but now it seems that my whole life, I've been living with this connection, this legacy of contradictions. And now that there seems some sort of explanation for all my confusion, I only feel more confused. And I hate that."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," she reassured him, forgetting her inhibitions and finding the courage to place a hand on his shoulder, "these things are never easy."

He smiled gratefully at her and then realized that once again, he had started monopolizing the conversation. He apologized although she denied that he had any fault at all.

"But what about you, Katara," he asked with concern, "how are you taking all this?"

She sighed heavily and shook her head.

"No better than you, I'm afraid," she answered, her eyes directed towards the ocean, where gentle waves were forming.

"All my life, I've never been away from the South Pole," she added, growing nostalgic, "and for the most part I felt content, glad to be with my family, to live a simple, unexciting life."

"But you longed for something more?" he suggested when she turned hesitant.

She nodded.

"I felt silly and selfish," she confessed, "but I did, I did want to see more, to do more, to just go and find out what more I can do for the world."

She paused and laughed slightly.

"I guess all this sounds so petty and provincial to you," she said shyly, "you who have seen so much already."

He shook his head.

"Not everything I've seen is worth envying, I assure you," he told her.

"Something is driving me to leave the home I've always known, to do something greater," Katara continued, slightly surprised at her talkativeness. But Zuko was an attentive listener so she found more courage to proceed.

"But I can't, not right now," she said with a sigh.

He asked her why but already knew the answer.

"It seems so unfair to leave everything behind just because of a bunch of dreams," she said sadly, "and also because I know it's something that I want to do and not really what I need to do."

They stood together in silence for a few moments.

"You'll see the world soon enough, I think," Zuko consoled her, "but it will only happen when you're ready."

"Thanks," she said with a small smile. This time, she mustered enough courage to take his hand and squeeze it gratefully.

He held hers for a few moments, not letting it go but looking at her with that steadfast and earnest gaze that made her shiver.

"And something tells me," Zuko told her, "that when that time comes, I won't be too far behind you."


	11. Chapter 10

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: Thanks for all the reviews! As promised, here is the next chapter. Sorry for the delay. The whole 20 reviews thing did not come as fast as I thought. I think I overshot the box office value of this story a bit. Ah, hubris.**

**So, sorry about that. It was wrong for me to impose upon you all for reviews. Just review when you're ready, no deadlines and such.**

**But still, 20+ reviews (regardless of time) = immediate update. :)  
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**To answer some of your questions: Aang will be making an appearance but not very soon. Jet, unfortunately, will not be in this story, sorry. And this chapter might seem (again) like things are moving too fast....but there will be conflict, I can promise you that.  
**

**CHAPTER TEN**

"_That which you seek..that which you have sought for so long..lies among the ice...."_

Zuko woke up with a start, his eyes wide, and his heart pounding. He struggled to hold onto the rapidly fading threads of memory for that dream. He simply must remember all that he could. It was too important.

He shook his head, but not too violently. He needed to concentrate, to try and reconstruct all that he had seen in his sleep and better embed them in his waking memory.

What had he just dreamed about?

This time, the dream was very, very different from those he had had. There was no face of someone he needed to meet. There were no dragons. Even _he _did not seem to be present in his own dream.

There had only been water, water all around, as if he was slowly drowning in the deepest oceans of the earth, with only water, no sea creatures or any other sign of life. He had been completely submerged, and yet not dead or suffering from the loss of air, just under water.

Zuko pondered this for a few minutes. Did he really want to know what the dream was about? Was it going to reveal something as significant as all that had been so far discovered?

Would it give him more guidance or only plunge him into greater confusion? He was torn between these two possibilities. And it occurred to him that perhaps Katara may have had the same experience. But then if he was to compare notes with her, he would have to have something to compare.

He clutched his head and made a noise of exasperation. This was maddening.

And yet, there was a certain urgency about it that he could not quite explain. He decided that he would try to learn whatever little he could from this new dream. There was no guarantee that it would happen again.

But the visions were fading fast and soon all he could hold on to were those words uttered by the mysterious voice.

He thought long and hard. What was it that the voice meant when it referred to something he had been seeking for so long? There were a number of possibilities.

His honor. His father's love. His mother. Happiness in his life. His throne...

And then, as if prompted by his mental queries, he recalled the words told to him in that dream. His eyes widened and he gasped in shocked realization.

For once, the Spirits (or whoever was in charge of these things) gave some clarity in their instructions.

"_...that which you have sought for so long....you and your forefathers...but always in vain...ever elusive...the last airbender.."_

_--_

Zuko had a good feeling that Katara had not had the same dream but he needed to be sure.

So the next few days, he would casually ask her if she had had any more strange visions or revealing dreams. Since they had often discussed this, such questions did not come as a surprise to her.

But when she answered that she had not had any new dreams for quite a while, Zuko frowned and grew more pensive. Katara had looked at him in concern and asked if he had had any new dreams.

"Nothing new," he lied slightly, "just things that have been going on in my head for quite sometime, probably just crossing over from my conscious mind to my subconscious."

"Oh," she had answered, believing him for the most part but sensing a hint of doubt.

But she decided not to press him. He would tell her when he was ready.

Katara noticed, though, that in the following days, the young firebender seemed constantly preoccupied. He seemed more lost in thought than usual and when she or Iroh expressed their concern, he would merely thank them and say that he had things under control.

He spent a lot of time at the wharf, looking out into the large glaciers and blocks of ice that surrounded the waters. He carefully examined these huge ice pieces, and stare at them for hours on end, as if trying to find something within them.

But he never left satisfied and always returned to resume that strange search.

This was not to say that Zuko neglected his other duties around the village. He still helped with the chores, practiced his bending, sparred with Sokka, and trained with Katara. But he seemed to be doing all of this with less conviction than he had previously.

Such behavior only made Sokka more suspicious and he lost no opportunity at mentioning all his theories. Unfortunately, people continued to ignore all of the Water Tribe Warrior's exaggerated warnings.

Zuko still gave no explanation for the subtle but existing changes in his habits. Iroh resolved to speak to his nephew about it soon. Katara decided to wait until Zuko would tell her himself. But she could not help but be extremely curious.

And there was something about him now that she could not quite pinpoint which was making her nervous and slightly afraid. There was this inexplicable sense of dread of what was to come. She tried to ignore all these incomprehensible feelings for the time being. She would find out soon enough, she hoped.

The other villagers didn't mind much. The children merely thought that the "Dragon of the South" was feeling ill and they avoided him for a while, afraid that they would be contaminated with whatever he was afflicted with.

Kanna, for her part, recognized something familiar in Zuko's slightly altered manner and it made her worry for Katara. She had a faint inkling of what was going on in the young firebender's brain and she fervently hoped that she was wrong about it.

She would sigh as she pondered more on it but she decided that she would not breathe a word about it to her granddaughter until her suspicions (vastly different from her grandson's) were confirmed.

But she had seen such actions before, such silent impatience, such restlessness. Yes, everything seemed to be as she remembered it, and that was why she was so concerned. She was not sure about how Katara would deal with the truth, if it ever came out.

For the way Zuko was acting now, was eerily similar to how Hakoda acted in the days right before he left to join the war.

There was reluctance at leaving things behind and fear for those he would have to leave. There was unresolved restlessness, as if the chief believed that the sooner he departed for the war, the sooner he could contribute to the efforts against the Fire Nation, the sooner he would be able to regain peace and he would be back home again.

But the fact remained that some great force was pulling him away, asking of him this separation from his family. There was doubt and yet there was conviction.

All this Kanna saw in Zuko's eyes as he went about his tasks with that strange air. And though her intuition was strong, she dearly hoped that she was reading him wrong.

--

After some time, Zuko decided that he could not avoid telling his uncle about this new development. The old man had been sending subtle and yet effective hints to his nephew somehow saying that if Zuko would not willingly share what was bothering him to Iroh, the latter would find a way to make the former talk.

There was no point in hiding things from Iroh. Besides, Zuko considered, he badly needed his uncle's advice on this.

So he told Iroh everything, all that he could remember from the dream, all that he had struggled to find out by his little investigations, and his confusion as to why the voice had given him this clue. The timing of that revelation was way, way off.

After all, he was no longer fully concerned with hunting down the Avatar. He already knew what good (or lack thereof) that would bring him in terms of winning his father's love and restoring his honor. Why tell him now of the Avatar's whereabouts? Why _him_?

Did that mean that the Spirits wanted _him_, the banished prince of the Fire Nation, to find the Avatar? And if he did, what then?

As soon as he finished explaining everything, he waited for his uncle's reaction. Iroh's brows had furrowed and he thought long and well about the matter in a grave silence. It was more complicated than he had expected and he was thrown into quite a quandary as well.

Zuko waited patiently and became a little worried. If even his wise uncle could not figure this one out, then, he was doomed. The younger firebender bowed down his head in exhaustion.

"Before I say anything," Iroh began after some time. Zuko's head jerked up immediately and he was eager to hear what his uncle had to say.

Iroh sighed heavily, closing his eyes.

"I need some tea," the old man said, getting up and going to prepare a pot of his favorite beverage.

Zuko slapped his forehead but then decided that he needed a drink as well. Even tea.

"Firstly, Zuko," Iroh proceeded, having had a few sips of some hot tea, "I want to know what you intended to do when you first heard that message. What were you initially planning?"

Zuko sighed and took a sip of tea. Iroh smirked slightly at this but waited patiently for his nephew's response.

"My first instance was to go," Zuko replied, "to search for the Avatar among the ice. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how foolish such an undertaking would be."

"And why would that be foolish?" Iroh asked him earnestly.

"Because I'm no longer concerned with finding the Avatar," Zuko explained loudly, as if exasperated, "even if I did find him, it would be of no use to me, I would not be able to restore my honor. What good will that be, then?"

And it was right after he spoke that Zuko detected the flaw in his reasoning. Iroh nodded at his nephew when he saw the truth dawn in Zuko's widening eyes.

The young firebender looked ashamed of himself and shook his head.

"Of course," he muttered, mostly to himself, slapping his forehead, "I've been so stupid and selfish and blind. This was never about me at all, was it? I've been given this clue to finding the Avatar so that I can bring him back, to help restore balance to the world."

Iroh nodded proudly as he listened to his nephew's words. Zuko had began rethinking his steps again.

"But you're wrong about one thing," Iroh told the other, "it is about you too, in some respect."

"What do you mean, Uncle?" Zuko asked curiously.

"This is your chance for redemption and for making amends for all the sins of our family," Iroh explained, his eyes shining, "to truly regain your honor in a way that really matters. Your life was spared so that you could perform this wonderful task, instead of contributing to the hatred and suffering from the war, you will be working to end it, to bring about peace and prosperity to the world by finding the Avatar."

Zuko tried to take this all in and realized that, as usual, his uncle was right.

This had been the reason he was saved all along, so that he could help end the one hundred years of bloodshed and terror. No longer was this a task of mere personal gain, but one of selfless service – to the world. It was overwhelmingly important.

Iroh watched carefully as Zuko processed all that he had just realized and was silently making his resolves. The older firebender could see that spark of stubbornness and determination ignited once more in Zuko's eyes, that almost obsessive need to find the Avatar.

But this time, much to his relief, Zuko wanted to find the Avatar for a much better reason than he had the last time.

--

"And what about Katara?" Iroh asked his nephew later on.

Zuko had begun to pack a number of things he needed to bring for a journey. After much discussion, he and his uncle agreed that he, Zuko, would begin the search on his own. Iroh had protested but Zuko was adamant. He didn't want to risk his uncle getting hurt. Iroh argued however that this condition would only be for a short journey beyond the South Pole and that Zuko would have to come back and get his uncle if it becomes necessary for them to travel a greater distance.

He would sail in one of the Water Tribe canoes, and explore the nearby glaciers. He would explore the surrounding terrain and survey the area. If he found nothing, he would have to return to the South Pole first to report his findings and prepare for a longer journey, with his uncle (and maybe some others.)

"I think she deserves to know about your plans as well," Iroh told Zuko.

"I know that, Uncle," Zuko conceded with a sigh, "but I also know that if I tell her about this, she would be determined to accompany me. This is a potentially dangerous mission. And I do not want to put her in harm's way."

"Do you not think that she is strong enough to take care of herself?" Iroh asked although he already knew what Zuko would answer. He was merely testing Zuko's honest admission of his feelings.

"I have no doubt about that, Uncle," Zuko replied, "but I still don't want her to be endangered, and especially not by me. She's done so much for me already, I do not want to ask this of her."

"Why not?" Iroh persisted, wanting to hear Zuko admit his feelings out loud.

"I'm very concerned for her, and I don't want her to have to deal with more problems that she already has," Zuko explained, "so you must promise me that you will keep this mission just between us."

"Why?" Iroh asked again.

"Why do you keep asking me that, Uncle?" Zuko protested, noticing the series of questions his uncle had been posing to him.

"Because I need to hear the answer," Iroh replied simply, "and so do you."

Zuko sighed. He could not have no doubt that his uncle would cooperate but Iroh wanted something else from him. Somehow, Iroh had led him to this, cornered him so that he could no longer deny the truth about how he felt for the waterbender.

What had developed between them was a bond stronger than the mere result of the machinations of fate. This was more than his gratitude to her for saving his life. It was real and it was powerful. And he would do everything he could to protect it.

"I'm asking you again," Iroh persisted, "why are you so eager to keep Katara out of harm's way? Why do you care so much about her?"

Zuko sighed and mustering all the courage he could, answered quietly but firmly, "Because I love her."

--

Zuko spent the next few days preparing secretly for his journey. Iroh helped his nephew in any way that he could and between the two of them, they were able to gather sufficient supplies for a short journey.

They were also able to acquire a small boat. And by certain strokes of resourcefulness, Iroh managed to draw up a rough map of the surrounding glaciers in the South Pole. He and Zuko examined this map carefully as they planned the route Zuko would take out of the village.

Trying to keep all of this secret without arousing unnecessary suspicion was difficult but they managed somehow. Zuko would leave suddenly, so that even Iroh would not seem to have expected his nephew's departure. But in any case, they already formed several excuses to give to their hosts once Zuko was gone.

And at length, under the cover of night, wearing a dark cloak, Zuko clambered on to the small boat which was already loaded with all the things he needed. He had given it a slight push before he boarded it and he now brought out the oar that he would use to steer himself in the appropriate directions.

He had already said good-bye to his uncle, who was not with him at the wharf. They had decided that it would be best for them not to be seen together.

Zuko paddled swiftly across the water, leaving a trail of ripples in the moonlight.

--

She trembled as she watched him go, unable to suppress the tears. She had taken a step to run to him, to try and stop him, but she felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back gently.

Katara looked with tear-filled eyes as her grandmother shook her head sadly at her.

And then, unable to watch him drift further and further away from her, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed quietly, her grandmother holding her comfortingly.

"He didn't even say goodbye," Katara whispered between sobs.


	12. Chapter 11

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO REVIEWED!!! Your continued support is such an encouragement. I'd like to thank especially those who reviewed anonymously since I don't have the chance to thank you individually. Thanks for finding and reviewing this story.**

**Now, things get really action-packed. Reviews, reviews = update! :) Enjoy.  
**

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Zuko's departure was met with a variety of reactions and extreme emotions.

But whatever the nature of these feelings, they were so powerful and created so much tension that soon, even the weather began to reflect the turbulence that was occurring.

Dark clouds congregated, shrouding the sky, and rain began to fall hard on the village. It seemed that the South Pole had become already a darker place within a few hours of the departure of its "dragon".

They all questioned Iroh about this but the old man (having promised Zuko reluctantly but faithfully) feigned ignorance. Some of the villagers pitied the old man for having been (seemingly) abandoned by his own nephew, even after he had taken good care of the latter. Iroh did not enjoy having to lie to the people who had treated him and Zuko so kindly but Zuko had made him swear to secrecy.

"If they suspect me of anything," the younger firebender had said before he left, "let it be me alone whom they accuse. I want you to be free of all blame."

Iroh had protested and asked if his nephew had thought the whole thing through but Zuko was adamant. And knowing his nephew's headstrong nature all too well, Iroh knew that Zuko would brook no refusals.

But the worry and concern that the old man showed for his nephew were genuine. Zuko was on his own in foreign territory, again searching for a person who may or not be out there. And all on the vague instructions of a dream.

Yet considering how far these dreams had brought all of them, Iroh could not easily dismiss their importance. If there was indeed something out there, "among the ice", his nephew would find it. But the old firebender fervently hoped Zuko would find it soon.

A heavy mood hung about the village and no one seemed to be glad of Zuko's absence but Sokka.

"Good riddance, if you ask me," the Water Tribe Warrior announced smugly but no one had asked him and no one appreciated his opinion about the matter.

Seeing the lack of enthusiasm for his statement, the young man merely frowned and began to sulk, muttering something about "treachery" and "fraternizing with the enemy."

When he had approached his younger sister to gauge her reaction to this, he found her grave and distraught in the arms of their grandmother.

As Sokka opened his mouth to perhaps gloat or lecture Katara, Kanna shot him a warning glance and he closed his mouth and decided against whatever he had been planning to say. Katara's eyes were red from having cried recently and her face was grim.

His sister was certainly not in the mood to listen to him now. Nor was anyone.

It frustrated him but he figured that all this negative energy would clear out in time, when everyone realized just how Zuko had betrayed and deceived them all.

All the people were forced to retreat to their homes immediately because of the weather. The rain pelted on the roof of the huts and no one dared ventured outside. Great gales were blowing upon the village and the loud echo of thunder frightened many of the smaller children.

The clouds grew darker and the crash of thunder roared louder. A few minutes later, bolts of lightning flecked the sky in sinister fashion and everyone began to wonder what had caused such unusual climactic disturbances.

The rain fell harder on the village and then, it was followed by some hail and snow. Such strange weather had not been seen in the South Pole for many years and this fact frightened some of the older members of the tribe.

For a few moments, the departure of the lone firebender was forgotten and the Water Tribe members scrambled to build adequate shelter and ensure their own safety against the fury of the elements.

And to add to all this, the temperature in the village was dropping fast. And even though they were all well-accustomed to the cold weather, they were all beginning to shiver. Mothers brought out their husbands heaviest coats and other coverings to keep their children warm and some of the others even began to wear their animal fur rugs and blankets.

To try and help the villagers, Iroh went from hut to hut, lighting fires and trying to spread more warmth to every house in any way he could. His efforts were greatly appreciated and everywhere he went, he was met with welcome smiles. He returned these gestures and gave words of encouragement and cheer, trying in his own way to distract them from the discomfort of the severely cold weather.

He himself was wearing several thick layers of clothing, provided by Katara and Kanna. The old firebender would not fit into any of Hakoda's old clothes or even those of Bato or the other men of the village, so Kanna had had to make some alterations.

Luckily, she thought, the menfolk who had owned those old fur coats would not be needing them any time soon. Better to lend the coverings to someone who would benefit from them.

So as he walked through the village, Iroh looked like a snow-coated platypus bear (his long beard looking like a snow-coated beak). The sight was amusing to both the children and the adults so they were temporarily distracted.

After a while, the weather grew worse and Iroh was forced to find some shelter as well. The people in the village thanked him for his concern but advised him to seek the safety of a sturdy roof.

He did so at the invitation of Kanna and Katara. The latter still remained grave and silent about Zuko's departure but she of course did not hold this against his uncle. Sokka was with them as well but since he had grown rather fond of Iroh as all of them had (though he was loathe to openly admit it); he did not really mind the old man's presence there.

Iroh lit a large fire and they all warmed themselves near it. They were all well-wrapped in coats and furs and still the weather grew colder and colder.

Daring a glance at the outside, Kanna shook her head.

"In all my years," she began in astonishment, "never have I seen weather this terrible. I cannot understand this."

The hail had not stopped coming along with sleet. Thunder roared continuously and lightning did not stop streaking the sky with its fierce radiance. They were growing more and more worried and yet no one knew how to deal with such a climactic anomaly.

What could have possibly caused all of this? No one could even make a connection to Zuko's departure. Everything was all too confusing.

Sokka took a look outside as well and noticing how much worse the conditions had become, he quickly closed the window and shivered (both from the cold and form an unnamed sense of dread.)

"This isn't normal," he commented gravely, "and if this keeps up, we are going to have to find a sturdier shelter. And somewhere in higher ground as well."

Katara and Kanna looked at him with concern but they knew that he was right. There was already the threat of flooding looming ahead, as well as that of a number of other horrible occurrences, including avalanches.

Iroh looked around at the three members of the Water Tribe, and wondered what other horrors they were contemplating. He sensed their fear as well but knew that he was powerless in the face of such extreme forces. All of them were.

And his mind turned to his nephew, who was alone, braving the dangers of the sea. Iroh tried to think of a way to follow Zuko, to help him but knew that for him to leave now would be futile. He could only hope and pray that Zuko would be granted another chance to survive another great storm.

"I really hope that it doesn't come to that, Sokka," Kanna said with a heavy heart.

Katara was silent but closed her eyes and frowned. She clenched a fist and bit her lip. No one spoke a word for the next few minutes.

Sokka sighed. "I hope so too, Gran-gran," he replied gravely, "I really do."

--

A violent squall had begun a few hours after he had left the village. He had been exploring the surrounding area already and saw no sign of the Avatar anywhere. He had looked at every glacier, and even bored small holes in some of them using his firebending to see the inside.

Nothing.

He steeled himself for more frustration. The Spirits or whoever was in charge were definitely not going to make this easy for him. Just as well. It never was even when he had no clue as to where the Avatar was.

And he had managed to come so far. There was no backing out now. Especially since he had a much better reason for finding the Avatar than he used to.

But his search had yielded no results so far and to make things worse, the small boat he rode was beginning to rock violently at the force of the surging of the waves. He would not be able to steer it own for very long.

Zuko frowned and clenched his teeth. Another storm was brewing, it seemed.

Why does this always happen to me? he thought with frustration as he struggled to maintain control of the boat.

The winds were more threatening now and the roar of thunder grew deafening. Zuko kept himself alert. He was alone in the middle of the ocean and large, forbidding icebergs. Which could crash upon him any moment sending him to a watery grave.

He shook his head to get that grim scenario out of his mind. He needed to focus on getting back to dry land.

He had been traveling for a few hours but he had stopped every now and then to examine the glaciers and icebergs. Obviously, it was not safe or stable to land on any of the ice "islands" in the ocean. He thought long and hard, and this was challenging because he was simultaneously trying to keep the small vessel from capsizing.

A flash of lightning tore through the sky and Zuko snapped up. The weather was growing out of hand. And he had begun to shiver violently, the cold wind blowing against him and some of the smaller waves washing over him.

The temperature was dropping at an alarming rate and he was ill-prepared to deal with it. He had brought some thick coats with him but some of them were already soaked in freezing sea water.

The hail and sleet began to fall and having no shelter, Zuko had to endure the force of the small particles hitting his entire body. It was not a pleasant experience.

He knotted his brow and narrowed his eyes as he paddled furiously, trying to keep his boat going in the right direction.

It was clear that he had no choice but to turn back. Returning to the safety of the Southern Water Tribe village was his best option.

And besides, such a storm might prove to be dangerous even for them. He would not abandon her in this time of need.

Zuko began to make his way back, going against the violence of the current.

But this was all so much easier said than done.

--

_Why did you have to go?_ she thought furiously, _why_?

For the longest time, that was the only thought that registered in her mind as she remained in the safety of their hut while a storm raged outside them.

Sokka was silent for once, not wanting to incite her ire. Just as well. She could not face his smug assertions at the moment. She was too upset.

Gran-gran and Iroh were silent as well, giving her space to dwell on what had just happened.

Of course she was worried about what would happen if the storm grew worse. She could not be completely detached from reality. Not like _other people _she had had the misfortune to know.

Katara was bitter and angry. She felt hurt and betrayed. And she could not suppress the hot tears that had begun to spill from her eyes.

_How? _she questioned silently and sadly, _I thought that we were in this together. Why did you lie to me like that? How could you just LEAVE?_

Her shoulders were shaking and her fists were clenched. Kanna was silent but put a reassuring arm on her granddaughter's shoulder.

"Let it flow," the old lady whispered, "don't keep it locked inside of you."

Katara took her advice and sobbed more into her grandmother's arms.

In her heart she knew that Zuko probably had his reasons for going but at the moment her mind was clouded with emotion. She had trusted him but now she was just too hurt and confused to give credit to anything.

And of course, considering the storm raging outside, she was worried about his safety. He was sailing alone, in that rickety boat, being tossed about by the waves…

The mere vision of how he might fall and drown into the sea was enough to push her into more sobs. It was too late for any of them to go out there to save him now. And she was too unsure of herself, too unsteady, that she could hardly waterbend properly.

Could it be that this was what the dream foretold?

Sokka shifted his weight uncomfortably, unable to say anything of help to his sister at the moment of her distress.

Iroh was feeling guilty about not telling Katara the real reason for Zuko's leaving. He was torn between keeping his word to his nephew and breaking the secrecy in order to comfort the waterbender whom he had begun to regard as a daughter. If only she knew…

Now, the old man silently berated Zuko for being so impulsive and secretive. Did he not anticipate the confusion and misunderstanding he would cause by his actions?

And of course the old man berated himself all the more for being an accomplice in such an absurd scheme.

_Remind me not to let Zuko be in charge of things again, _he thought.

He looked in forlorn silence at the weeping waterbender but could find no words of comfort to offer to her.

Thunder crashed above them and they were all woken from their reverie. They could now hear the tossing of the waves nearby and something even more sinister – the cracking of the ice.

The four people looked at each other in alarm.

"Oh…cean…kumquats," Sokka swore, "this was what I was afraid of."

Silently, he forlornly questioned the Universe as to why he was always in the midst of the muck.

Immediately, they set to work to evacuate the others to safety. Before exiting their hut, they quickly discussed what the best course of action would be.

"We need to bring everyone to a sturdy shelter, in higher ground," Sokka began, taking charge conscientiously and responsibly. The others nodded at him.

Kanna and Katara began giving suggestions of possible evacuation centers but after more consideration none of these places seemed secure enough or high enough. They wracked their brains desperately, the incessant crashing of thunder and flashing of lightning only making them more and more frantic.

Iroh merely watched in silence, unable to give any suggestions. But he hoped that they would come up with a solution very quickly. The hail was falling faster and harder and he could already hear some of the anguished cries from the villagers.

All of them were depending on Sokka, Katara, and Kanna to lead them to safety and these three leaders were trying their best to fulfill this vital duty.

Sokka and Katara were already crying out in frustration and thinking hard about where to send their people.

Kanna had taken it upon herself to plan the best possible escape route. She had begun instructing Iroh on how he could help them lead all the villagers to wherever safe haven they would decide upon. He listened eagerly and was ready to jump to action when he was given the go signal.

Now, all that was left to do was to find a place where they could all take cover and weather the storm.

Sokka and Katara still had furrowed brows and both were getting more and more fidgety.

While she was also deeply concerned about the safety of her tribe, a large part of the waterbender was worrying for the safety of the firebender alone at sea.

She also pondered how her waterbending could possibly come in handy for this situation but she was still unsure about how to go about it. If she tried something rash, she was more likely to cause more harm than good. And that worried her.

Unfortunately for them all, the South Pole had never experienced such calamities and so was ill-equipped with the necessary shelters and precautions. For so long they had been more afraid of frontal attacks from the Fire Nation than the fury of the elements.

As Kanna had said, such destructive weather had never been seen before in the South Pole. No one had foreseen this and so the solution was a little more difficult to come upon than usual.

Sokka's gaze darted from one thing to another as he searched his mind for answers. He hoped that one thing in that room would trigger an idea, a thought, a memory, anything that would help.

What did the Water Tribe Warrior see in that room?

His trusty boomerang hanging in one corner. One of his father's old weapons. His mother's trinkets. Katara's hair ribbons. Some earthen jars. Last night's dinner leftovers. Iroh. More earthen jars. Some dried meat. And were those his dirty socks? Ugh.

Wait. IROH.

The Water Tribe boy's eyes widened as the answer hit him.

"I've got it!" he cried out excitedly and they all turned to look at him, eager to hear his answer.

"The abandoned Fire Nation ship," he announced with his finger pointed matter-of-factly.


	13. Chapter 12

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: Thank you for all the reviews! I'm sorry for another atrocious delay. School work has been eating me alive. Hope you enjoy this chapter though!**

**You may have noticed that I love storm scenes! I just do. Hope those who have read my old stuff aren't too bored with such scenes. (Here she goes again, another storm!) They're just so full of potential. Besides, the title pretty much gave away the fact that there will be storms.**

**I snagged some lines from "Once on This Island."**

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

It was part of the Fire Nation's first attacks. And it was one of the most painful vestiges of that time for Kanna.

And now, by the ineffable machinations of fate, it would become their refuge.

The ship had survived the ravages of time and remained whole and sturdy. They dearly hoped that it would endure a little bit longer.

Iroh was glad that these Fire Nation navy warships were made to last.

"Destiny is a funny thing," Iroh thought as he helped the other three organize an evacuation.

Sokka, Katara, Kanna, and Iroh wasted no time in executing their plans. Using her waterbending, Katara cleared some of the snow that had gathered between the small houses. This way, that had a clear path all the way to the ship, or at least part of the way there.

They ran around as quickly and as organized as they could, alerting everyone to the new escape plan and reminding all the villagers to remain calm. They would exit the village in a swift but orderly manner so as to avoid any accidents or unpleasant incidents.

The rain and sleet continued to fall so Katara built a small tunnel of snow to shelter the people as they made their way to the ship. They urged all the other villagers to make use of the passageway while it still stood.

Outside, Iroh tried to help shelter the others by shooting blasts of fire and melting the hail and snow that kept on falling. He tried to do this in as unthreatening a way as possible. He did not want to further frighten the younger ones with some awesome display of his firebending prowess. Now was simply not the time for that.

Looking at the progress of the storm, he had a feeling that he would have to redirect some lightning later on. He just hoped that it would not come to that.

Many of the smaller children grew frightened by what they were doing and had to be coaxed gently by Katara and Kanna. The mothers led their children as cheerfully as they could.

There were not a lot of people in the village to evacuate but there was still quite a distance to the ship. Sokka and Katara had gone ahead to mark the path and to keep building the makeshift snowy passageway even as the storm raged above them.

Somehow, they were able to keep everyone moving quickly in a line and all were cooperative. Mothers led their children gently and smoothly through the passageway Katara had constructed.

By and by Sokka arrived at the destination. With a sigh of relief, he saw that the old Fire Nation ship still stayed in its place, whole and stable. It remained frozen in a tilted position, the way that the waterbenders of old left it. The vessel was more than large enough to shelter the whole village for several days.

Iroh was summoned and he helped open the ship. The old firebender first checked the internal structure for any problems. He explored the inside and made a mental map of all the rooms that would be useful. When he came out, he began to show the villagers where to stay.

He told them not to enter the rooms he would not point out to them since these may be rigged with booby traps and such. He also told them not to enter the armories or engine rooms (to avoid any accidents). Fortunately, the old ship had had a large crew and it was in the crew's quarters that Iroh showed all the members of the Southern Water Tribe.

Some of the children looked around them in wonder and awe, having never seen such a structure before.

It was ironic that they were now eagerly seeking shelter in a place that their parents had always forbidden them to even look at. But the circumstances were dire so the young ones did not really gloat at such a small victory.

Fortunately, the ship did not lose all its charm upon being entered. The children were temporarily distracted from all thoughts of danger or the storm because of their interesting new playground. The novelty of being in the ship shifted their attention from the fact that they were away from their homes.

Iroh, Kanna, Katara, and Sokka were relieved to see this as were the other mothers. They only hoped that the novelty and excitement of their new surroundings would amuse the children for the duration of the storm.

They would not be lacking much supplies since all the villagers were instructed to bring whatever they could carry with them. And Iroh and Sokka were going back and forth carrying foodstuffs and other necessities while Katara kept the way clear and safe for them. Kanna supervised the movement and exit of the rest of people.

They still could not figure out what had caused the storm but they realized that now was hardly the time to hypothesize. They would hopefully have enough time to understand the situation once they were all safe.

Almost all of the villagers had been taken to safety already and the timing could not be better. The wind was growing more ruthless and the hail was falling at dangerous speeds.

Katara was already using all of her energy to divert the forces of nature from the tribe while keeping the tunnel intact. Even with all her practice, training, and talent, these tasks were taxing her strength.

She was only glad that the evacuation of the village was almost finished. She gritted her teeth as she concentrated, her muscles already sore, but her conviction unwavering, as she raised her arms and continued waterbending. The waterbender sighed. She dearly hoped that this ordeal would pass quickly.

Beyond the temporary safety of hiding in the Fire Nation ship, she and her brother could not think of any other way of weathering the tempest.

While she was fairly confident that everyone in the village would be taken to relative safety, she worried about other, less pressing, but scarily possible outcomes.

While they were reluctant to dwell on any unpleasant eventualities, they also knew that they would have to be prepared for a worst case scenario. But how they would deal with the ship being breached was very problematic.

If the weather continued this way, not even she or Iroh would be able to raise adequate shields of protection for the whole village. Since they were the only community in the South Pole, the next inhabited area was miles away.

They were practically isolated. And there was no sign that anyone, from either the Southern or Northern Water Tribe, or even any of the other nations would be passing in that part of the world any time soon.

Katara frowned.

"I hope that it doesn't come to that," she thought with concern, "there is no way that we can all leave the South Pole."

She shook her head and put that grim thought at the back of her mind. She needed to focus on keeping the tunnel intact.

Iroh had returned by her side and had resumed using his firebending to melt whatever was thrown their way.

They exchanged knowing glances before continuing their tasks. It would not be long now before they too could retreat to the safety of the ship and wait patiently for the tempest to subside.

--

He had lost control of the boat.

The waves had taken it by now, and the violent surges were pushing the small vessel towards some sharp and deadly looking icebergs.

Realizing that he had to abandon ship, Zuko did not hesitate but took a deep breath and dove into the ice-cold waters.

He surfaced breathlessly, just in time to see the small canoe smash against the ice and break into pieces.

The firebender shuddered at the thought that if he had not acted fast enough, he would have been smashed and broken as well. He shook his head and looked towards the general direction of the village.

With some luck he had managed to cover some distance back to the South Pole when the worst of the waves and sleet had arrived. Thunder and lightning had not ceased either but he tried to ignore all of these and focused his attention on getting back.

He was not very concerned about getting back to safety. He was more worried about how Katara and the others were managing during such a great squall.

He felt guilty, selfish, and stupid for not being with them, for not being with _her,_ in this time of great need. All thoughts of what he had been doing on that boat on his own now fled his mind.

He was consumed with the present and forgot why he had even left. Now, all that mattered was getting back, and helping them as best as he could.

Gazing in one direction, he could faintly make out the tops of the small huts of the village. He was not too far away. He would make it.

Taking a deep breath, he plunged into the waters, and summoning all his strength, he swam towards the village. Doing so meant having to slightly go against the current but his will was almost as powerful as the surging waters.

No force in the world would be able to stop him when he set his mind to something and exerted his whole self in trying to achieve his goal.

--

Sokka and Katara watched in awe as the old firebender redirected a bolt of lightning that had been about to destroy Katara's tunnel.

She had been so afraid of that flash but she was powerless to stop it. Sokka had just come out of the tunnel and was checking on the rest of the village. So far, everyone had already been taken to safety and the young Water Tribe Warrior was merely going back for one last load of supplies.

They watched in wonder as Iroh seemed to catch the lightning in his fingertips and then smoothly and fluidly, directed his arms in the opposite direction. And then with a swift and powerful movement, the firebender shot the lightning away from them.

After doing so, Iroh closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes, he saw two astonished pairs staring at him.

The old man smiled and shrugged.

"Just a little trick I can do," Iroh said with a grin, "it comes in handy in weather like this."

"You're telling me," Sokka agreed. Katara nodded and smiled gratefully at Iroh.

But Katara could not help but look behind her at the raging ocean. Iroh had looked there as well. But there was no sign of him.

She held back a tear, and clenched her fist, willing herself to be stronger.

Iroh laid a hand on her shoulder sympathetically. She saw the worry and fear in his eyes. But there was nothing they could do and that was what hurt them the most.

"He'll make it through this," Iroh said, more trying to convince himself than her, "he's endured many hardships already. He is strong."

Katara nodded, her eyes still on the surging waves. She made a silent prayer to the Spirits to save him, to protect him.

"Oh, Spirits, please be there," she prayed, "I've always done my duty by you. Please hear me now."

She also could not help but silently be angry at them for bringing this upon her, for making them both suffer like this.

"Wake up, look down, hear my prayer," she thought desperately, her eyes filling with tears as she looked up at the tempestuous sky, "don't single me out, and then forget me."

She received no answer but a boom of thunder. She closed her eyes and shivered.

"You spared his life once," she bargained, "I know you can do it again."

--

With one great, final push, he rode a small wave and was washed upon the shore of the South Pole.

He clambered up as fast as he could. When he was fairly certain that the waves would not take him back, he lay on his back panting furiously. Taking air in quickly, he began to use his breath of fire to keep warm. He shook his hands together and warmed them.

When he had slightly recovered from the cold, he got up and made his way to the village as fast as he could.

He arrived there and saw that it was deserted. However, there were still some slightly fresh tracks on the ground leading somewhere. All of the people had gone in the same direction.

Perhaps they had found a safer hiding place, he thought and he decided that he follow them. He blew another fire to keep warm before taking the same path.

But before he could proceed, he sensed some movement nearby. He looked around quickly but it was difficult to see through the rain and sleet. He used some firebending to clear the way and steam rose where he touched.

Then, he heard the soft and distinct sound of a whimpering child.

--

Sokka took the last package with him and nodded to his sister. He and Iroh entered the tunnel as Katara was prepared to lead the way.

She took a final glance at the ocean and the emptied village before proceeding. But before they could move any further, they saw a figure running towards them. It was one of the women.

"What are you doing here?" Sokka asked her worriedly, "why did you leave the ship?"

The woman looked desperate and her face was streaked with tears.

"My baby," she cried frantically, "my little boy, he's still out there!"

"What?" the three cried in alarm.

"But how could this be? I thought that everyone had been taken to safety already," Sokka asked the worried mother.

"I don't know," she cried forlornly, "he was with me when we left the house and I was holding my other two children. I thought that he had just gone with one of the other mothers but when I got to the ship he was nowhere to be found. It happened too fast. Everything was so confusing. Please, you have to help me find my son."

Katara consoled the weeping mother and Iroh and Sokka quickly discussed what to do.

"He must have wandered off on his own somehow," Iroh explained, "but he couldn't have gone very far. Let's split up and look for him while the lightning has not struck yet."

They nodded and did as they were told, each going in one direction and calling out the child's name.

It was difficult to search in the snow but they tried their best. No one would be left behind or abandoned, and especially not in such a storm.

Sokka, Iroh, and Katara began to feel the same desperate worry that the poor mother was feeling when after several shouts and rounds they still had no sight of the child.

But they were not going to give up. They had to find him.

Thunder roared in the sky and flashes of lightning reappeared. But this time, the bolts of lightning came more frequently than the last instance and Iroh was growing more and more tense.

He could not possibly redirect every bolt of lightning and he only hoped that none of these would strike the child or any of them, for that matter. Already some of the houses had been destroyed by these blasts of energy and he was unable to stop these from happening.

The worsening of the weather only made the four searchers move faster, calling out the child's name louder and looking as best as they could for any figure in the snow.

Sokka had ventured rather far away but he was determined to find the child. He had gone from the relative shelter of the village and was becoming unaware of the danger he was plunging himself in.

Katara was looking around, while using her waterbending to keep herself protected. But all she saw around her was snow, snow, and more snow, the blinding whiteness against the dark backdrop of an angry sky.

She narrowed her eyes as she searched, now asking pardon from the spirits for being so rude and hoping that they would show mercy.

Some snow had fallen and obstructed her vision completely. She frowned.

With a fluid movement of her hand, she bended some snow out of her way.

To her surprise, she saw the overjoyed mother walking towards her with a smiling child safely in her arms. Katara sighed with relief as she approached the mother and son.

The waterbender called to Iroh who came running back immediately. The relieved young mother was holding her child tightly as if she never wanted to let go.

"Where did you find him?" Katara asked.

"Big brother found me," the child replied enthusiastically, quicker than his mother could, "big brother dragon melted the snow and saved me!"

Katara and Iroh looked at each other in shock and then looked at the mother. She nodded with a smile.

"Prince Zuko found my child and brought him to me," the mother explained with grateful tears glistening in her eyes, clutching the child closer to her.

"Where is he now?" Katara asked urgently, taking hold of the woman's shoulders suddenly. Iroh waited for the answer eagerly as well.

"He rushed off saying something about someone in trouble," the woman replied with a shrug.

Katara looked at her perplexedly but before any of them could react, they all heard Zuko's voice above the din of the storm.

"SOKKA! GET OUT OF THERE!"

And at the moment Katara whirled to where the voice came from, she was just in time to watch wide-eyed as Zuko jumped in front of a bolt of lightning that had been about to strike her astonished brother.


	14. Chapter 13

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar: the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: Wow, thanks for all the feedback on the story, everyone! Fortunately, I wrote this chapter almost immediately after the last one, so it was ready for posting quickly.**

**Funny how the weather back here reflects the weather in the story. Of course, I don't live in the South Pole and there's no snow in this part of the world, but there has been a lot of heavy raining for the past few days.**

**To Ace: You read my mind for the reaction part. You'll see what I mean.**

**I had to make things move very quickly in this chapter. Really, there are so many mischievous little boys in the Water Tribe.  
**

** Much is going to happen. Enjoy.**

**ADDITIONAL NOTE: Sorry for the delay. This was supposed to be posted a lot earlier but my laptop crashed and I was lucky enough to be able to retrieve all my files from it otherwise much would have been lost forever.**

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

For the first few moments, all of them seemed frozen to the ground, unable to move or speak because of utter shock.

It was only when they heard Zuko moan in pain as his body twitched, small jolts of lightning shooting from his sides still, that they all reacted.

"Zuko!" Katara cried as she ran towards him. Iroh ensured that the mother and son would be able to find their way to the ship safely before he ran as well. The grateful woman offered her help but did not know what to do. The young boy looked worried and afraid for his "big brother dragon". Iroh assured them that he and Katara would take care of it.

Sokka fell to his knees before the shaking body of his savior, his hands trembling over Zuko. But he didn't know what to do. His eyes remained wide open as if he could not quite understand what was going on.

"Don't touch him!" Iroh warned as he approached them. Sokka put his hands back, still in a daze.

His sister arrived, placed a hand on his shoulder quickly to make sure he was all right and then, and then turned her attention to the wounded firebender.

Katara knelt beside Zuko and fumbled with her hands, trying to bend some snow into healing water. She was shaking as well and could not stop the tears from falling down her face.

Zuko's eyes were closed and his body continued to twitch. Sokka just sat there staring at Katara's attempts to heal the other, silent and incredulous.

Iroh sat beside Katara, worry and fear in his face, and he tried to advice her on how to go about healing the large, star-shaped wound in the middle of his nephew's chest.

"Try and stay calm, Katara," Iroh advised the agitated waterbender, steadying her shaking shoulders, "the more upset you become, the less you will be able to focus. Please, you need to concentrate."

She paused her trembling hands and gave a small sob. She looked at him and he nodded at her reassuringly. She took a deep breath and resumed the healing.

Zuko's breathing was halting and unstable but he was still alive. His eyes were closed and soon he would be unconscious but he continued to moan in pain.

It was growing increasingly difficult for Katara to continue the healing since rain and snow continued to fall dangerously. Iroh was trying his best to melt all that with his firebending but his energy was running low as they had been working for so long.

Sokka remained shocked and silent, his eyes wide. He watched as his sister made water glow with her hands above the chest of the man who had just saved his life.

Katara was growing more and more worried although she was able to seal off the wound adequately. It was a large one and not easily healed. And she was sure that no matter how well she would be able to heal it, it would still leave a large scar.

It broke her heart to think that Zuko would have yet another scar to mark him for the rest of his life. Another testament to his own inherent goodness.

"You do not have to complete the healing now, Katara," Iroh counseled, "it will not do to linger here in the midst of the storm. Do as much as you can and finish the rest at the ship. We must all find shelter and safety."

Katara nodded with understanding and did as she was told. When the wound was closed enough for Zuko to be moved, Iroh and Sokka (who was slightly more alert now), carried Zuko towards the tunnel. The slightly unconscious firebender had one arm around the shoulders of his uncle and the Water Tribe boy and he was able (but barely) to walk.

Taking a deep breath, Katara reinforced the tunnel and they all proceeded to their temporary shelter.

--

The villagers welcomed them with joy since most of them had grown worried about the fate of their leaders.

They had already heard the account of Zuko's heroism from the mother and son who had returned earlier and they were all eager to be of as much help as they could.

Kanna embraced her exhausted granddaughter as Katara entered the ship and the young girl could not help but collapse into her grandmother's arms. Kanna could feel all the fatigue and pain bearing down on the young waterbender after using up all her adrenalin.

"You should rest now, Katara," she counseled gently.

"But Zuko," Katara protested softly although her eyes were already beginning to close.

"He'll be all right," Kanna assured her, "he's out of danger now. And he will be able to endure this a while longer. You need to regain your energy."

Katara did not argue further but instead dropped into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Kanna smiled sympathetically and with the help of the others, brought the tired waterbender to her quarters. When Katara was properly settled in, Kanna tended to the others.

Iroh and Sokka had carried Zuko to a room as well where they laid the wounded firebender carefully before taking seats and recovering their own strength. Zuko's breathing was steadier now and he was fast asleep. The wound on his chest had been adequately healed for the time being and he would be all right.

Iroh sighed with worlds of relief. There was so much to be thankful for and he could not help but feel a great sense of wonder at how things had turned out. Zuko had returned safely, in spite of the squall. And though he had endangered himself to save Sokka, Katara had been able to save him in time, to halt the ravages of lightning that may have destroyed him completely.

The old firebender glanced at the figure of Sokka, who was panting and out of breath, and also graver than Iroh had ever seen him. Iroh felt sympathetic. No doubt the whole scene of Zuko's sacrifice kept playing over and over in Sokka's mind.

There was the burden of guilt, to be sure, and the humiliating act of having one's beliefs shattered. Iroh sighed. At least, some good had come of all of this and that was the obliteration of Sokka's suspicion and mistrust towards them.

Nevertheless, the challenges and trials had not stopped coming to them. Zuko's exile was proving to be a very eventful time for them all. They were lucky, though, always to be able to escape or endure every hardship that the Spirits saw fit to send to them.

All these tests, Iroh pondered, they weren't for two firebenders alone.

Katara and Sokka too were being tested, as well as the whole village of the Southern Water Tribe. Storms such as these did not occur at random and great trials were not sent for no reason whatsoever.

Could it be that the fate of the world was quickly being decided?

Iroh shook his head exhaustedly. He would not dwell on such thoughts at the moment. He would get his rest. And later, he would make some tea.

The village of the Southern Water Tribe slept soundly that night, in the shelter of a vessel of their enemy.

The tempest continued to rage all through the night but they were no longer scared for their lives. For the time being, they had protection and safety.

--

During the next few days, they all observed that the worst of the storm was over. The thunder and lightning had ceased although it continued to snow. The gusts of wind blew strongly as well but there was less danger.

But they all still decided to stay in the safety of the ship until they were certain that the storm was completely over. None of them wanted to risk returning the remains of the village while they could still hear the howling of the winds or the echo of the waves from afar. It was clear that they would have to stay where they were for at least a few days.

In the meantime, Katara continued to tend to Zuko, and this time, Sokka helped in any way that he could. The work required of the waterbender was not as grueling as the time when Zuko had first arrived but she still was determined to take care of him, despite her anger at him for leaving them so abruptly.

The point was, he came back and that was all that mattered. And it also helped, of course, that he had saved Sokka's life, a fact that the latter would never forget.

Katara did not rub the fact in, seeing that her brother's manner towards the again sleeping firebender had changed significantly. She was glad that some great good had come of Zuko's becoming injured yet again. His latest act of selflessness had effectively gotten rid of the only remaining barrier to his complete acceptance in the South Pole.

Sokka would no longer doubt him or suspect him of any crime. And for this Katara was greatly relieved.

Tales of Zuko's other heroic exploit were also spread among the villagers during their stay on the ship. Kanna was relieved that the people had something good to talk about to pass the time there. And she was also impressed with all that she heard about the young firebender.

The little boy whom Zuko had rescued felt a great degree of pride at having been involved in the action and he never ceased to tell his friends about the nobility of Zuko's act. Some aspects of the story were exaggerated for effect but the goodness of the firebender was without question.

The mother of the rescued child likewise kept repeating the story and expressing her gratitude to Iroh for her son's deliverance. She also offered her help to Katara and allowed the boy to visit his sleeping savior as often as was acceptable. Katara always welcomed the child's presence as a break from the silent work and his exuberance helped lift all their spirits.

While they waited for the storm to abate, Iroh told Katara everything about Zuko's sudden departure, and emphasized on the latter's concern for Katara's wellbeing. The waterbender listened with a mixture of relief and stubborn annoyance at Zuko's taking things all on his own. She appreciated his concern and was grateful for it.

All the hurt and resentment she had felt when he left now disappeared and she grew eager to speak to him again.

For his part, Sokka could not stop feeling guilty about the way he had treated Zuko before all this. He kept on seeing the vicious bolt of lightning striking the boy down before him, a radiant flash of death being blocked by a selfless individual.

He kept on hearing Zuko's voice, warning him to get out of the way, a warning he had not heeded in time. How Sokka regretted being so pigheaded and stubborn about the firebender and how ashamed he now felt when facing his sister and Iroh.

They were all very compassionate towards him but he still could not shake off feeling so guilty. He confided in his sister eventually and she listened sympathetically to him. He would help watch over Zuko and do any errands Katara asked of him.

But none of this seemed enough.

"I just don't know what to say to him when he wakes up," Sokka told his sister one day, "I don't know where to even start."

"Saying thank you would be good," Katara suggested with a smile. Sokka looked seriously at her. She looked at him reassuringly and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it too much, big brother," she said with amusement, "he won't be angry at you, you know. He understood your distrust of him, even if he was annoyed sometimes. You'll be fine."

"I hope so," Sokka muttered gravely. Katara suppressed a laugh.

"Just don't be a spoiled sport when he beats you at sword fighting again," Katara teased, making her brother pout at her. She shrugged.

"I'm not a sore loser!" he protested, for a moment seeming like the old, stubborn Sokka again, much to Katara's relief.

"We'll see," she said teasingly as she laughed at her brother's mock shock.

Their mood had grown lighter, since Zuko was already showing signs of waking up soon and recovering completely. As Katara had predicted, the lightning burn left a scar on his chest but there was nothing more she could do about it. She only hoped that it would fade in time.

--

A few days later, Zuko opened his eyes once more.

Blinking a few times before getting accustomed to his surroundings, Zuko slowly got up and leaned on his elbows, glancing about the room. Iroh sat in one corner dozing off while a pot of tea was put on to boil.

Zuko was momentarily confused by the room's appearance. For a few minutes he seemed to be back in his old ship, still in exile, and chasing the Avatar.

But after more observation, he noticed that the ship's quarters he was staying in were different from his old room. The structure was more old-fashioned and there was a weather-worn quality of the vessel that could only be the result of years of neglect.

All was quiet and calm and no one seemed to be awake yet because it seemed to be in the early hours of the morning. He winced slightly and noticed that his chest had been bandaged tightly. Vague memories of the storm and his actions during it flooded back to him.

The young firebender then continued glancing around him and wondered how he could be inside a Fire Nation ship again. While he was observing the trappings which hung on the walls (or the lack thereof) and some of the Water Tribe items which had been left behind on the tables, he failed to notice the arrival of someone in the room.

He turned just in time to receive a hard slap on the face from a teary-eyed waterbender.

But as quickly as she had struck him, Katara then engulfed the shocked firebender in a warm and tight embrace, tears of joy and relief falling down her cheeks as she told him how happy she was that he was awake once more.

"I'm so glad you're back," she whispered earnestly, tightening the hug.

Zuko blinked a few times from shock. After recovering quickly from the sting of the slap, his face relaxed and he smiled gently as he returned the embrace of the half-sobbing, half-laughing waterbender.

--

The next few days became proof that the storm had finally subsided.

Rays of sunlight pierced through the dark, grey clouds, and the wind ceased its howling. The rain and the snow stopped just as suddenly as they had started and the destruction ceased as well.

From within the Fire Nation ship, a collective sigh of relief was heard as the captives soon began to rejoice at the change of weather. But to be more cautious, they decided to wait for a few days more before leaving the safety of the ship, just in case this sunshine was just a temporary improvement in climate.

Nevertheless, preparations were already being made for their return to whatever was left of the village. Everyone was in high spirits as they worked, the women chatting excitedly about how they would rearrange their homes and the children playing care-freely within the ship.

Once again, Kanna and her grandchildren took charge of all these preparations, this time aided by both Iroh and Zuko. The latter had had to endure (much to his surprise) the never ending sea of well-wishers and admiring children who flocked to his side and asked for samples of firebending.

Katara watched his awkward acceptance of this attention with great amusement. Every now and then, his hard-suppressed annoyance would spill over through smoke from his nostrils, only making the adoring children more amused by him.

The firebender also noticed that Sokka was making pains to be friendlier with him, to make amends for his previous behavior. Zuko was relieved that the Water Tribe Warrior was no longer suspicious and by and by, he began to appreciate the company of the other.

Sokka likewise realized how loyal and strong a companion Zuko could be and they were quickly able to do away with their differences and become friends. They even scheduled a sparring session as soon as they had returned to the village.

--

On a particularly fine day, some of the little boys grew restless staying inside the ship and so decided to play a game of hide and seek.

Leaving their mothers carefully, the boys spread out and began to search for interesting and effective hiding places. When all the known hiding places had been taken and the count was going on fast, one of the young ones decided to be a little more daring and venture into one of the rooms he had been forbidden to enter.

Carefully, he opened the metal door and then gazed in awe at the weapons on display on the walls. Fortunately, he was not yet so eager as to want to touch any of the spears and swords. He was contented at merely walking around the room and looking closely at every blade or piece of armor that was displayed there.

In his pre-occupation with the weapons, the boy failed to notice that he had stepped through a small but almost undetectable wire.

Immediately, a large and powerful flare shot up from the room and exploded into the sky above.

Zuko and Katara, who had climbed up to the top deck of the ship to observe the weather, looked at each other anxiously and ran quickly to where they had seen the flare originate.

--

But someone else had seen the explosion.

A hard man with ambitious eyes and cruel intentions.

And now, he turned his spyglass to the two running figures on the old ship.

He smiled as he saw a pale young man with an unmistakable scar.

But his malevolent grin widened as he watched a young girl easily bending some ice and snow out of her way as she ran.

"Set a course for the South Pole," he ordered urgently, his face growing sinister.

"We're going on a manhunt."


	15. Chapter 14

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar: the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: **The story has to move faster now. We're more than halfway through.

Thanks for all the reviews. I'm glad you all liked the addition of the new villain. He's still on his way though. Enjoy.

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

The Southern Water Tribe Village was under repair.

Since nothing had come of it, the whole incident of the flare was forgotten by most. And the worst that had happened was one little boy was severely reprimanded for having ventured beyond the allowed areas of the ship.

Everyone had gotten busy with restoring their homes to their former glory after the destruction of the storm.

Most of the homes had been sturdy enough not to incur too much damage. But other, weaker structures required immediate attention. The work was overwhelming but it gave everyone something to think about and kept even the little children busy doing whatever small tasks their mothers assigned to them.

At the helm of the restoration project were Sokka, Iroh, and Zuko. Katara and Kanna also helped with the supervision of the other aspects that needed tending to. The extent of the overall damage was really not as bad as they had expected.

Nevertheless, there would have to be changes made to ensure that the homes would be able to withstand any further climactic disturbances.

Since the whole project required much manual labor, the members of the tribe were glad and relieved to have two other men helping them rebuild. With Zuko fully recovered, he was able to once again contribute to the village.

Unfortunately for them, Zuko and Sokka had to postpone their sparring matches to after the village was adequately rebuilt. Even Katara and Iroh could not fully resume their training until they had helped make the homes. But they did not worry about this very much.

They were all too tired to think about much at the end of the day anyway.

But the work was not so arduous because everyone was in good spirits and there was no longer any tension between Zuko and Sokka. The two young men were now able to co-exist peacefully although every now and then they would have some rivalry over who was the stronger man.

Sokka was always eager to show off his "brute" strength. Zuko never had to. But he would humor (and most often) humiliate the other boy when he proved to be just as strong as Sokka was despite his new injury.

The Water Tribe Warrior also impressed the firebender with his resourcefulness and wit. Zuko sometimes mentioned to Katara that Sokka was better at organization and planning than execution. She laughed at this and could not help but agree.

Nevertheless, there was no longer any ill will between them and Sokka was always trying to show his gratitude to the firebender for saving his life. It had been initially awkward but they soon grew into it.

And so several days passed in non-stop working and rebuilding. By and by the village became even better than it was, with sturdier walls and new roofs and houses.

Everyone rejoiced at their success and they held a great, traditional Water Tribe feast to celebrate, complete with jars and jars of boiled ocean kumquats (which the two firebenders politely refused). Sokka and Katara both gave speeches (as was traditional) and gave special honors to the two guests who had proven to be very loyal and helpful visitors.

Some significant glances were thrown in Katara and Zuko's way but the two merely blushed and said nothing.

"I think we've done a very impressive job in restoring the village," Kanna announced, "and I believe our men folk will be very surprised to see it when they come back."

"We'll make Dad really proud, I'm sure," Sokka said triumphantly although at the mention of his father, both and his sister suddenly missed him again.

But the serious moment passed and they decided to think of happier things for the time being.

Zuko and Iroh likewise tried to forget about their circumstances and did not think about how long they would be staying among the members of the Water Tribe. Now, more than ever, they felt welcomed and accepted by the people there.

Ironically, Zuko felt that they treated him more like family than the members of his own family (his mother and uncle excluded). It was a strange and happy feeling for him and he wished it would last.

All memories of his old dream and his foolhardy mission were set aside since no dreams had plagued him during his last long sleep. He dismissed the previous visions as mere manifestations of his previous desires. He would not heed that call anymore.

There was feasting and enjoyment for several days before everyone began to settle back to their comfortable old routine. The weather remained constantly good and there was no longer any fear of impending storms, at least of the kind they had all just endured.

Everything seemed to be back to normal again.

All was quiet, homely, and serene.

But for some people in the new village, a shadow hung about. There were certain, unnamable feelings which pervaded the air and gave them a sense of dread.

Zuko had not completely shut the flare incident from his mind. No immediate danger had come of it but he could not help but feel slightly wary.

Such a signal would be seen even from a very far distance. And considering how favorable the weather had been on that day, it may have very well have been sighted by any ship that happened to wander nearby.

Any Fire Nation ship would recognize such a sign and quickly proceed to where it came from. And that was what he was very afraid of.

So he took a spyglass he had found on the ship and brought it with him when he returned to the village. Whenever he had the time, Zuko would climb to the highest point of the village and gaze across the horizon with the spyglass, straining his eyes in search of any ship.

Again, he did not want to distress Katara or the other villagers over a mere, baseless hunch so he did not speak to them of his fears.

He did, however, discuss the matter with his uncle who shared his anxiety and tried to be on the lookout for a ship as well. They also spoke about the possible implications if a Fire Nation ship were to land in the South Pole.

They feared for the safety of all the members of the Water Tribe there who had done nothing but help them.

But they themselves were also at a loss as to how they would be able to protect their friends. Talented and strong firebenders though they may be, they would be hard pressed to defeat the crew of a whole fleet of Fire Nation ships. And even with Katara's waterbending and Sokka's fighting skills, much struggle would have to ensue. Added to that was the fact that the women and children would be greatly endangered.

They decided that as much as possible there should be no fighting, no bloodshed. This place was no battlefield and no fortress. The village had already endured the ravages of many raids and attacks.

"I sincerely hope that all of this will come to nothing," Iroh said with a sigh, "these people do not deserve to endure any more suffering than they already have."

They weighed their options if indeed a ship were to land on those happy shores. If they were to be found, they would be captured and killed as per the Fire Lord's decree.

But could they be sure that if they were not seen in the village, that the Fire Nation would leave the people in peace?

But if they left the South Pole now, what then? Where could they go? And would that be of any use to the people who might still be attacked by the Fire Nation?

Neither of the two firebenders could be sure. They had unfortunately lost contact with anyone from the Fire Nation ever since they arrived at the South Pole so they were no longer aware of what the Fire Lord had been doing or even of the progress of the war.

They greatly regretted this fact but knew that they could do nothing but wait and see what the tide would bring in.

And much to their dismay, no one in the South Pole had any contact to the outside world. They had lived in peaceful isolation ever since the men had left to join the war. Fortunately for them, no more Fire Nation raids had happened since this departure but all that could change as grim as this possibility sounded.

Zuko and Iroh also decided to keep the matter between them while there was nothing yet to give them cause for alarm. But they could see that Sokka and Katara were growing uneasy and that even Kanna suspected something.

Zuko told Katara that he would tell her what was troubling him as soon as he understood what it really was and she accepted that answer for the time being. She knew that he would no longer hide anything from her.

But whenever questioned slightly, the firebenders always replied simply that they were contemplating their immediate future and wondering what they could do to further contribute to the running of the village.

And while both firebenders hoped only for the best, both were plagued with that shadowy sliver of doubt and uneasiness and that nameless fear of the future.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Zuko had said and that was the best way to describe it.

--

Two days later, their worst fears were confirmed.

Staring through the spyglass, Zuko frowned as he caught the first sightings of a Fire Nation navy ship. The line of smoke rising from it was distinct and it was clearly going in their direction.

He ran quickly to inform his uncle about it and to discuss a course of action.

"First of all," Iroh decided, "we must tell the others about this. They are directly involved now and we cannot keep this information from them."

Zuko nodded in agreement. And then in a matter of minutes, the five of them had gathered in the meeting hut. Katara, Sokka, and Kanna waited eagerly for the two firebenders to explain the current situation.

They all listened attentively as Zuko described what he had seen and as Iroh told them what this might mean for them all.

The options were laid down and the members of the Water Tribe were asked to consider them carefully.

"It would be best for Zuko and me to hide for the time being,"Iroh told them, "and for you to deny having seen or met us, or to deny our very existence. That would be best for you."

He explained that both of them would not be too far away from the village. They would only remain at a distance where they would not be seen but where they could still observe the arrivals and possibly lend their help if any trouble occurred.

"They wouldn't be looking for us here," Zuko added, "since they all think that we're dead. We should keep it that way. I don't think they have come here for anything in particular. At least I hope so."

"It may even be that they aren't planning to land here at all," Iroh added optimistically, "but we have to be prepared for any eventuality. Fire Nation ships do not randomly alter their course."

"One thing is very important, though," Iroh continued, his tone growing very grave, "and that is that they never find out that you still have a waterbender here."

This time, all eyes were on Katara and she nodded seriously, understanding the weighty implications of the Fire Nation finding her.

"The previous Fire Lord sent raids to the South Pole to wipe out all its waterbenders just as he had wiped out all the Air Nomads," Iroh recounted sadly, "as far as the Fire Nation knows, the only waterbenders left are at the North Pole and that is a fortress that the Fire Lord has yet to conquer. We should keep it that way."

Understanding the grave importance of hiding her abilities, Katara agreed and promised to do all she could to help.

They also all agreed to inform the rest of the village as soon as possible. They were not to speak of either Zuko or Iroh or of Katara's waterbending abilities. It would not be hard for the mothers to cooperate but getting the children to keep the secrets posed a greater challenge.

There was always the uncomfortable possibility that one of the young boys might suddenly blurt something out that would lead them all to ruin.

Iroh suggested that they tell the children that they were to play a very important game in which to say a single word to any firebender would be to lose instantly. Of course, this was truer than it seemed but at least the notion of play would keep the children at bay.

By and by, all the boys promised their utter silence in that innocent gravity which characterized children deeply engrossed in a game. They all hoped that the children would take this game more seriously than anything they had ever played.

Fortunately, despite their youth, some of the little boys could sense the importance of the task being given them and showed unexpected maturity. Kanna smiled proudly at the small children, forced to grow up rather quickly, again because of the onset of war.

While all this was being prepared, the Fire Nation ship drew nearer and nearer, its looming presence causing a shivers down their spines.

But so far, no cannons were being fired; no balls of fire were being launched at them, so it did not seem to be a raid. But the course was certain and the crew already knew of their presence in the village.

Iroh warned Sokka not to meet the ship's crew with any outward show of hostility. He would be no match to whoever came and the less fighting occurred, the better.

The Water Tribe Warrior heeded the voice of reason and reluctantly agreed although the memory of the bitterness and pain caused by previous Fire Nation raids made him clench his fists. But he did not want to endanger his family and his tribe.

Zuko and Iroh soon made preparations to go into hiding temporarily at the hillier areas of the South Pole, where they would still have an unrestricted view of what was happening in the village even as they were undetected.

They were determined to everything in their power to protect all those who dwelled there but for the time being doing so meant having to disappear.

Just as Zuko and Iroh were leaving, the former felt someone tug at his hand and turned to see a worried looking waterbender.

Her head was bowed and she looked very grave indeed. She held his hand for a few moments.

He squeezed her hand reassuringly and then found himself being engulfed in an embrace.

"Be careful," she whispered to him worriedly.

"I promise," he whispered back.

--

There was an air of fear and tension in the village, one that had not been felt for a long time. Katara and Sokka regretted that some of the younger children would have to endure such unpleasantness.

Some of the children were lucky enough never to have experienced a Fire Nation raid. Some had never seen the loss of a loved one to the vicious soldiers.

And for others, their only encounter with firebenders had been with Iroh and Zuko, and that did not really count, at least not in the current context.

Some had suggested and contemplated fleeing to a safer place but it was too late for that since the ship had surely seen them there. To run away would not only be cowardly, but it would also suggest that they indeed had something to hide.

And of course, there was that streak of stubborn Water Tribe pride which always won out in the end.

"The Fire Nation has ruled this world for a hundred years by striking fear into the hearts of all those who stand in their way," Sokka announced boldly, "well, we will not give them that satisfaction. All of us here have done nothing to destroy them and they will not see fear in our eyes when they arrive. We will stand firm and read to face whatever may come. This is a battle they will not win."

Hearing him speak thus, everyone in the village (Iroh and Zuko included) grew determined to see the plan through to the end. They would show no fear or doubt as they faced their enemies.

Observing the small crowd's strong conviction and courage, Zuko all the more felt determined to stop the war, and to go against his father.

They who had treated him so well in spite of who he was.

She who had saved him in more ways than one.

He clenched his fist and resolved to stand by them through whatever storm came with that dreaded ship.

_These people_, he thought, _have had to suffer and lose so much because of my father and grandfathers' greed and ambition. And even as the threat of complete destruction approaches them, they stand courageously facing their fates._

_I will not let them down; _he swore silently, _I will not let _her _down._

_--_

Everyone waited in baited breath as they watched the ship approach their home.

In a matter of minutes, the huge and modern vessel had dropped its anchor at their shores. The members of the Water Tribe gazed at it with a mixture of anticipation and awe.

The ship was a far cry from the older model they had taken refuge in during the storm. It looked newer, stronger, and virtually impenetrable.

The villagers watched as several soldiers in full Fire Nation armor appeared on the deck, and as a ramp was lowered to the ground.

Boots clinking on the metallic floor, the ship's commanding officer made his way to the snowy ground.

He was a tall, hard man with sly eyes, a sinister smile, and prominent sideburns.

At the sight of him through the spyglass, Zuko frowned grimly, and whispered the man's name distastefully.

"Zhao."


	16. Chapter 15

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar: the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: Thanks for all the reviews everyone. I really appreciate it. Don't worry. More happens in this chapter.**

**And as for the concerns raised by Riza44 (sorry I have to reply to you here, since you reviewed anonymously), I have answers. The discrepancies which you noticed were intentional and there are reasons for them (which thankfully may be accepted within the realms of fiction and fantasy).**

**First, it really does not rain in the South Pole and yes, there is no thunder or lightning, BUT the events of the previous chapters were the results of the turbulence of the SPIRITS. They are testing our characters by making them endure many unexpected trials, to prepare them for the greater battle ahead.**

**Second, I am quite certain that the Fire Nation already has telescopes. The reason Zhao could see them from afar was that he was using a modern spyglass, that can see further and clearer even if the ship was far away. The problem with Zuko's spyglass is that it came from the OLD ABANDONED FIRE NATION SHIP and as such, was not very effective. And then you have to take account the fact that depreciation over the decades certainly decreased its quality. But that was all he had, and it wasn't a very good spyglass in the first place.**

**There. I hope that clears things up a bit. Thanks for noticing though, I'm glad you all pay attention to details like that. :) Enjoy the chapter.  
**

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

"Let's try to keep this simple and not waste our time with useless formalities," Zhao began frankly and forcefully, "I've come here for a purpose and if you just cooperate with me, then we shall have no reason to quarrel."

Just as he said this, several dozen armor-clad Fire Nation soldiers alighted from the ship and formed formidable ranks behind their commanding officer. Their very shadow seemed to throw the whole village into darkness.

Kanna shuddered at this but held her ground, keeping her eyes level with that of the Fire Nation commander. He would not see their fear, she would not allow it.

"He's intimidating them with the threat of brute strength and violence," Iroh muttered disgustedly as he looked through the spyglass. Zuko frowned when he heard this.

"I don't trust him and I don't want to leave them alone with him," the younger firebender said, "I think we should go nearer the village. Something tells me he already knows we're here."

Iroh looked at his nephew in surprise and then nodded with grave understanding. Slowly and carefully, the two rogue firebenders made their way back to the village.

--

Zhao took a sweeping glance of the people before him and smiled smugly. A mere handful of women and children with only one non-threatening young man at the head.

The aforementioned Water Tribe Warrior was glaring audaciously at Zhao but he paid him no mind.

They would be easy enough to subdue. And it would be no challenge to wipe out the whole village.

He glanced momentarily at the figure of the young girl beside the Water Tribe Warrior. He was sure that she was the waterbender he had seen through the spyglass. But she was wisely not exhibiting her abilities.

He doubted that there were any other waterbenders left in the South Pole. But clearly, this was his lucky day. He would have much important news to write to the Fire Lord about.

And he would surely be promoted – again.

Now, all he needed was his prey. And Zhao was certain he would be able to smoke them out soon enough.

It was all too easy.

He approached the boy who obviously seemed to be the leader of the group, trying to intimidate him with his height and presence.

Sokka did not even flinch.

Instead, he looked the arrogant officer in the eye, silently daring him to do his worst.

"We do not answer to you for anything," Sokka told him boldly, "you are in our territory now and you have no power over us."

Zhao was amused by his audacity and, of course, unmoved by it. Such insolence would not be tolerated.

Katara gave her brother a wary glance and admired his courage. But they both knew that this Fire Nation officer would not be fazed by any show of Water Tribe pluck.

Zhao decided to go straight to the point and impose himself upon them to the fullest. He longed to see them all cowering in fear and obedience.

"That may well be the case," the arrogant commander said in mock concession, "but I have reason to believe that you are harboring fugitives from the Fire Nation."

"What you believe is really none of our concern," Sokka replied as confidently and as nonchalantly as he could although his heart was beating wildly.

"Oh, but it should be," Zhao answered sinisterly, his golden eyes narrowing malevolently at the young man.

Sokka felt a chill run up his spine when he heard this and narrowed his eyes back at the hard man. The young warrior clenched a fist but struggled to maintain his self-control.

Beside him, Katara was now glaring at Zhao and likewise keeping her temper in check. She and Sokka had to keep their dignity and their composure if they wanted to make it through this strange conversation.

They sensed the fear and nervousness in the rest of the people in the village. The children were growing restless and the mothers more and more uneasy.

They would stand their ground, but at what cost?

"And why is that?" Sokka asked Zhao, still maintaining an air of fearlessness and audacity.

Zhao could not help but be impressed slightly by this show of futile resistance.

"It's all very simple, really," the ambitious commander said in a condescending tone, "surrender the traitors to me and no harm will come upon you and yours."

He paused as if to make sure that Sokka and Katara were listening. It added to the effect of his speech. He enjoyed such little theatrics when he could perform them.

"And if you refuse," Zhao continued with a look of dismay, lighting a small fire with his hand nonchalantly, "then I'm afraid we will have no choice but to burn down this entire village to punish you for your lack of cooperation."

There was a collective intake of breath at this last statement and soft gasps could be heard from the members of the Water Tribe. Nervous whispers began to echo and some children hid quickly behind their mothers' skirts.

Zhao sneered with satisfaction. Just the effect he had been hoping for.

Sokka and Katara now glared at him openly and could barely restrain themselves. Kanna stood behind her two grandchildren and laid a hand on each of them, as if warning them of the danger they might plunge themselves in if they lose their nerve.

They needed to stick to the plan.

"We know nothing of your traitors," Katara found the guts to answer defiantly, "and we care nothing for your threats."

Sokka looked at her in surprise, impressed and slightly frightened by her boldness. Kanna was concerned for her as well, even as the other villagers gazed at her in awe. They knew that Katara was strong, but they had not expected this.

Zhao looked at her curiously. He had only seen such feminine obstinacy in one other woman and she was certainly not one to be trifled with. This little waterbending peasant seemed to think she could take him on.

"Are you calling me a liar?" he asked darkly, walking towards her and trying again to intimidate her with his height and presence.

She returned his fiery gaze with equal defiance, blue eyes clashing with gold.

"I'm saying that you must have been mistaken," she answered simply.

"I don't think I was," Zhao replied coolly, "I rarely am."

"Well, in that case," she retorted bravely, "I'm sorry to disappoint you."

This made Zhao raise his eyebrows in surprise. That was certainly not the reply he had been expecting.

Katara narrowed her eyes at him. He challenged her with his own gaze.

On one side, Sokka was glaring at the commander as well and seriously suppressing the urge to throw his boomerang at the arrogant and cruel man.

Then began a silent but severe battle between the opposing forces. No one said a word but much was exchanged with those significant glances and rigid postures.

The air was filled with tension and fear. Zhao's soldiers had all alighted from the ship now and surrounded the frightened villagers ominously. Forming ranks around the small collection of houses, they demonstrated their number.

The clinking of their boots on the ice made threatening sounds and their helmets, with the skull masks hiding their faces, made the soldiers look like inhuman wraiths come to deal death upon the helpless.

All of them were prepared to attack, to launch their fireballs at their prey. They only waited for a slight gesture, a go signal from their leader. And Zhao was keeping them at bay, but barely. The threat of destruction hung in the air and everyone in the tribe could feel themselves tottering on the brink of their doom.

But Zhao was not the only one imposing himself (not so) subtly to his opponents.

After a few moments of intense staring, Zhao felt a shiver up his spine. He blinked with surprise, unaccustomed to such a feeling of dread. But it was there, and he could sense that the blue-eyed girl before him was causing it.

Subtly but surely, the temperature between them had dropped. As he breathed, he saw a wisp of white smoke emanate from his nostrils. The chill was growing stronger and the snow and ice around him seemed to slowly solidify.

The more the girl glared at him, the more ice seemed to form around them.

He smirked triumphantly. All the better for him. He would have sufficient evidence of her powers. And he was all the more eager to destroy her.

She stood alone, he knew now. A sole waterbender in the face of dozens of capable soldiers and fierce firebenders. And him, of course, a firebending master in his own right.

It had been a while since he had fought a waterbender. He hoped that she, despite her youth and naivety, would prove to be a worthy opponent.

Zhao's hands were tingling with slight heat, in eager anticipation of a good fight.

Katara too was preparing to fight. Never had she felt her bending powers more pronounced. She had been unsure of using them for battle, even during training.

But now she understood what it felt like to want to fight back. Now, she had the stimulus for action.

Sokka grasped his weapon as well. Sensing danger, Kanna began gathering the women and children together, forming a solid unit, and backing up slowly, towards their homes. The Fire Nation soldiers continued to surround them but they made ready to flee the moment they had the opportunity.

Katara got into a fighting stance, her gaze never leaving her opponent's. Zhao smirked at this and took a similar position. Sokka stood beside his sister and readied himself as well.

The three leaders remained, watching and waiting for one of them to deal the first blow.

But the first strike did not come from any of the three.

A large flame was tossed fiercely in between Zhao and the two Water Tribe siblings. All three jumped back instinctively, to avoid being burned.

They were all taken by surprise and their eyes widened at the sight of the flame. It was extinguished almost as quickly as it appeared.

It had happened so quickly that even the Fire Nation soldiers were at a loss as to how to react or retaliate.

When the fire vanished, the three turned to face the direction where it had come from.

Zuko remained in his fighting position, his closed fist still aiming to where he had thrown the fire, his body tense, and his eyes narrowed at the other firebender.

Behind him, Iroh emerged slowly, an equally grave expression on his aged face, his glare daring any of the soldiers to attack.

Not very visibly, many of the soldiers recoiled from such a gaze. The Dragon of the West had not lost any of his power in his old age.

Sokka was wide-eyed and speechless even as he held his sister still. This definitely wasn't in their plans.

But then again, they had been running out of options. Although given the current circumstances, a confrontation could not be avoided.

Katara looked in shock from Iroh to Zuko and then, with grave apprehension, at Zhao. The tension had risen tenfold now and she was afraid of what may ensue.

For his part, Zhao was now sneering triumphantly, his eyes resting first on Zuko, then on Iroh, and then on the younger firebender again.

"You've decided to come out of hiding at last, I see," the arrogant commander told Zuko contemptuously, "I was wondering how long you would hide like the cowards you are behind a bunch of women and children and Water Tribe at that. You've sunk rather low, even for traitors."

Zuko glared at him and made to lunge forward but was stopped by Iroh. The young firebender took a deep breath and made a fist. But their expressions were murderous.

It wasn't so much because Zhao had called them cowards and traitors but more because he had insulted the members of the Water Tribe. They would not stand for that.

"The matter rests between you and us alone, Zhao, and therefore within the Fire Nation," Iroh spoke in a calm but warning tone, "there is no need to involve other innocent people."

At this, Zuko immediately stood in front of Katara and Sokka protectively, his eyes never leaving Zhao's face. Katara looked at him in concern, wondering how all this was going to be resolved.

"Hmm, trying to shirk from accountability, are we, General Iroh?" Zhao mocked them, "you forget that you already involved them the moment you stepped foot on their shores. There is no escape for any of you."

"It is not within your power to disobey the orders of the Fire Lord," Iroh argued more forcefully, "and as far as I know, he has decreed nothing about mistreating the members of the Water Tribe if they have not provoked you."

"You don't need to lecture me about the particularities of our law," Zhao responded, unfazed, "because I'm free to execute them in any way I please for as long as I attain the goals that have been set for me. All I have to do is get rid of anyone who stands in my way."

Zuko narrowed his eyes at him and again suppressed the urge to lunge and burn him to the ground. Katara and Sokka shuddered as they heard those words and instinctively looked at the rest of their village to make sure they were all still safe.

Zhao was enjoying having the edge over them and lingered the threat of unleashing his soldiers on them. They had no choice but to give in to him and they knew it.

"Well, no one is hindering you from performing your duty, or whatever it is you believe it to be," Iroh rebutted, "we will settle this matter between ourselves."

"Hmph," Zhao sneered, "you are in no position to bargain with me on any matter, ex-General Iroh. You and your nephew are criminals and traitors, wanted dead by the Fire Lord. You have neither rights nor any chance of escape."

Iroh narrowed his eyes at the other man but knew that to some extent, as frustrating and dangerous it was to admit it, he was right.

There had to be some other way to end this with minimum bloodshed, the old man thought frantically.

Fortunately, Zuko had not made any show of aggression yet. But the old man knew well that his nephew was fast losing his patience.

"So is that your intention, then?" Iroh asked, trying to buy some more time, "to murder us right here in the South Pole and then present our corpses to my brother the Fire Lord."

Zhao gave a dark laugh at this, causing all those around him (his soldiers included) to shudder in fear and repulsion.

The firebender looked with sinister amusement at the grave faces of Zuko and Iroh, and at Zuko's thinly veiled glare of hate.

"I can't deny that the thought is tempting," he replied diabolically, "and that it may have crossed my mind once or twice ever since you decided to show yourselves. But I have an even better idea."

Iroh and Zuko frowned at him, waiting for whatever other evil plan he had in mind.

"I intend to capture you and deliver you to the Fire Lord himself," Zhao elaborated arrogantly, "where I can either execute you in front of him and get all the due credit for doing so, or where I can give him the pleasure of doing away with you himself. Either way, I'm sure the Fire Lord will be pleased with me."

Katara gasped at this and covered her mouth in fear and astonishment. Sokka could not suppress a glare at the Fire Nation commander who had uttered such vicious words. Kanna and the villagers looked in fear at the two firebenders they had grown to care for and worried greatly for them.

Zhao sneered triumphantly again, waiting for their reaction. But this time, Iroh remained silent, too appalled and angry to say a word.

This time, it was Zuko who spoke. He walked purposefully towards Zhao and looked the latter in the eye.

"There's another way to settle this," the younger firebender announced.

"And what is that?" Zhao asked, raising his eyebrow in amusement.

Zuko narrowed his eyes determinedly.

"I challenge you," he said quietly and dangerously, "to an Agni Kai."


	17. Chapter 16

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar: the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: Yes, here it is, the obligatory Agni Kai in my story. Darn. I built so much hype for this one that your expectations are pretty high. I am not so good with fight scenes, all right? Prepare for some disappointment. Hope it doesn't bore you. I know you know more or less how it's going to end but I assure you that the setting and consequences are different from canon. This is vastly different from their Agni Kai in Season One especially in terms of Zuko's fighting skills. You'll know what I mean.**

**Also, this must be announced. There will only be one update next week since I will be extremely busy with another activity.**

**If you haven't yet heard of it, Zutara Week 2009 is next week and I signed up as a participant. So I will be posting a one-shot every day on that week (following the prescribed prompts). Not all those pieces will be particularly good but I will try my best. I really love Zutara Week and though it is added stress, I enjoy participating in it as a support for the pairing. So I hope you will forgive the limited update of this story and if I may be so bold, please do check out my Zutara Week entries if you have the time.**

**Thank you and on with the fight!**

**EDIT: This was supposed to be posted yesterday but this site would not let me log in. Sorry for the delay.  
**

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

The echo of Zhao's laughter rang through the cold, South Pole air.

But no one else was laughing.

Everyone else remained deathly still and silent, all shuddering at the very definite prospect of violence.

"What do you think you're doing?" Iroh whispered to his nephew urgently but discreetly.

"I'm taking a shot in the dark," Zuko muttered back with narrowed eyes, "you and I both know that he will not refuse a chance to show his own superiority. Let's just hope he's still as self-absorbed as he always was."

"I really hope that you thought this through," Iroh answered with a concessionary sigh.

But somehow, Iroh could see merit in his nephew's unorthodox plan. They both knew that Zhao could not resist the idea of putting someone down in public. He dearly hoped that the proud man would take the bait.

It may be the only card left for them to play.

"He challenged him to a what-now?" Sokka whispered to his sister.

"An Agni Kai," she replied calmly but worriedly, "a fire duel."

She had heard Iroh speak of such things before and knowing that such a fight was going to be done made her quiver with apprehension. She really hoped that Zuko knew what he was doing.

Zhao finished his laughing and looked with sinister amusement at the challenger, who was not amused in the least. The older man returned the glare with a shrewd and manipulative stare.

"Years of searching for a missing Avatar has made your head go soft," the commander insulted the firebender.

Zuko said nothing but continued to gaze at him seriously.

"Don't be ridiculous, Zuko," Zhao replied condescendingly, "I don't have time to play these silly games with you."

"This isn't a game," Zuko replied with grave conviction, "I'm perfectly serious."

Zhao narrowed his eyes at the prince. It did seem like the boy meant business.

"You're still the reckless little fool you were years ago," the commander insulted his opponent, "it's no wonder your father banished you. You're disgraceful and pathetic."

Zuko did not even flinch. He would not take the bait. He kept his composure.

Zhao saw that his words had no effect. He shrugged.

"I really don't have time for this nonsense," he said, turning around and making a move to set his soldiers on them.

"What's the matter, Zhao?" Zuko taunted, seeing this as the opportune moment, "are you afraid I'd beat you?"

Zhao stopped in his tracks. Zuko smiled slightly.

_Gotcha,_ the young firebender thought. Everyone behind him waited with bated breath.

The ambitious firebender turned around slowly and walked with a resolute gait towards his waiting opponent. Zhao narrowed his eyes at Zuko. The latter did not back down.

Zhao rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, as if forced to make some sort of sacrifice.

"Have it your way then," Zhao conceded, almost sounding bored, "but you're only putting yourself up for public humiliation, I assure you."

"I don't think so," Zuko replied with confidence, "but we still haven't discussed the stakes of this match."

Zhao raised his eyebrow at this. At that moment, all eyes were on the two determined firebenders. Everyone was curious as to what kind of deal Zuko would be able to strike with the shrewd and ruthless commander.

"I'll humor you for now," Zhao said with amusement, "seeing as you're about to doom yourself anyway. What are your silly terms, then?"

"If you win, may take me and Uncle back to the Fire Nation, we shall surrender willingly and with no trouble so there will be no need to harm any of the villagers in the South Pole," Zuko elaborated seriously.

Zhao rubbed his chin and considered this.

"But if _I _win," Zuko continued, "you will leave me, Uncle, and the rest of the South Pole in peace. And you and your men will not breathe a word of our presence here."

"Those are heavy terms, Zuko," Zhao commented, "but you seem to be missing out on something."

"And what's that?" Zuko asked, genuinely perplexed, narrowing his eyes warily.

Zhao smiled at the young man's confusion.

"You haven't mentioned what I am to do with the waterbender," he said simply, eagerly waiting for the latter's reaction.

Again, there was a sharp intake of breath as this statement was uttered and everyone was deathly still and silent. Katara clenched her fist but tried to look as impassive as she could.

Zuko and Iroh were still. Taking the cue from them, Katara did nothing to reveal her powers and even tried to look as confused and ignorant as she could about the matter.

"You're going daft, Zhao," Zuko bluffed as confidently as he could, "there haven't been waterbenders in the South Pole in several decades."

Expecting this lie, Zhao smiled.

Iroh narrowed his eyes at Zhao as well and worried about how Zuko was going to side-step such an issue. The old firebender knew how much his nephew was willing to protect the waterbender but how he would do it was another matter.

"I don't think so," he replied slyly, "in fact, I think there may be one last waterbender left."

He made as if to point at Katara but Zuko stood in his way, his eyes narrowed determinedly. Katara couldn't see his expression but she had an idea of how he looked at that moment and she felt both grateful and scared.

"You'd be hard-pressed to prove _that_, Zhao," Zuko warned the other man gravely, "and if you cannot present any evidence for your claim, then it is an empty one."

Zhao raised his eyebrows at this, surprised by Zuko's daring. But he could not deny that he could present no proof of what he had seen, only to say that he had seen waterbending. And that was not enough to capture anyone.

He frowned at Zuko.

The rest of the villagers seemed to understand the gravity of the situation as well. They would not breathe a word of Katara's abilities and even the younger children seemed to realized how dangerous a situation they were in.

Sokka and Kanna gave each other significant glances.

And Katara made a silent promise to herself that she would not endanger them all by showing her abilities. Zuko was finding a way to protect her and she would make the most of that.

"No one here is going to admit to being a waterbender," Iroh added, narrowing his eyes at Zhao, "and if you cannot prove that anyone here is capable of waterbending, then it would be utterly pointless for you to take them all."

Zhao opened his mouth to speak but Iroh cut him off.

"And if you intend to skip the elimination process and simply destroy the entire village," Iroh continued, "then you might as well have admitted to losing the Agni Kai to my nephew. That would be very disappointing indeed."

All eyes were on Zhao now as he struggled to maintain his composure and to look like he was in control of everything.

After a few moments of serious consideration, he conceded to Zuko's terms, if only to save face.

But before they both went off to prepare for the duel, which was set for sunset, the older firebender sinisterly whispered a warning to his opponent.

"But the moment your precious waterbender demonstrates her skills even in the smallest way," Zhao threatened, "then the deal's off. She will be mine and so will you."

Zuko frowned at this but said nothing. But his face had tensed slightly and this was enough to make Zhao sneer with a small degree of triumph.

--

Sunset had arrived and the two fighters were in their respective positions.

They had found a relatively iceless and open area to serve as the arena.

As the weather in the South Pole was very cold, the two combatants were not to fight shirtless as was traditional. Instead, they both wore thin layers of clothing.

"Remember your training," Iroh advised his nephew.

"Are you sure about this?" Katara whispered to him.

"There's no backing out now, you know that," Zuko answered her gently.

"I know but," Katara protested slightly.

"Look at it this way," he interrupted her, "at least, no one else has to get hurt."

She gave him a grateful look, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She restrained the urge to embrace him.

He had told her not to give Zhao any reason to suspect her of anything. Zuko was risking his life for them all. She could not forget that.

"Be careful," Katara added worriedly. Zuko gave her a small, reassuring smile.

Sokka, Kanna, and the rest of the villagers gave him looks and gestures of encouragement.

The smaller children, in particular, enthusiastically cheered him on and this was a strange comfort to the young firebender. He had never had this much support, even from his own people.

He felt all the more determined not to let them down.

The signal was given and both opponents faced each other in fighting stances.

Iroh watched with intense trepidation as the two fighters began taking careful steps towards each other. Thankfully, the start of the fight seemed just as he had expected.

Zuko was calmer and more concentrated, his expression passive but unyielding.

Zhao had his usual overconfident smirk on his face and his whole posture was one of utter arrogance.

But Iroh knew that beneath this arrogant exterior was a man who easily cracked and would easily respond to the slightest provocation. If only Zuko would let his reason and control guide him, then he would have no trouble beating this ambitious upstart.

"Afraid to deal the first blow, eh?" Zhao shouted mockingly, "then allow me to do the honors."

He began by launching a large fire ball from his fist straight at Zuko. This was easily dodged and Zuko retaliated with another fireball of his own, but one significantly smaller.

It traveled faster though and Zhao was only able to avoid it in the nick of time.

Zuko took a deep breath. He wasn't going to waste his energy on large shows of firebending. Having trained in such cold conditions, he knew that his best chance was to use small but accurate shots that would do damage quickly and easily.

As Zhao continued to launch larger flames at him, the younger firebender knew that it was only a matter of time until he won that duel. With the amount of energy the older man was using to attack him unsuccessfully, he would soon tire.

Zuko dodged every attack effortlessly, being more familiar with the landscape and the territory in general. Zhao would sometimes have trouble finding his balance on the slippery ground.

Zuko was easily able to cut through Zhao's attacks and retaliate with some of his own. The young prince's reflexes were as good as ever and he was even able to apply some of the new techniques his uncle had shown him.

Being unfamiliar with some of these movements, Zhao was not sure how to counterattack. He would make very clumsy movements to avoid Zuko's fluid and smooth attacks.

Getting more and more frustrated by the minute, the older firebender growled and threw one fire blast after another, creating an impressive display of his bending. If they had been in the Fire Nation, such a feat would be a spectacular sight to behold.

But as it was, the cold air of the South Pole quickly made the flames dissipate, and dwindle into nothing. It didn't matter how large the fires had been when Zhao first threw them, they would die out in a matter of moments.

Zuko already knew this, from extensive experience and training. He did not even have to avoid any of the more recent attacks.

Once, Zhao had leaped into the air and landed with a large thud on the ground right in front of Zuko.

The younger firebender had landed on his back then but in a swift and masterful movement, he lifted himself up and broke Zhao's roots. The man went off-balance and Zuko had began a new round of attacks.

Despite all his clear advantages, the firebender refused to be overconfident. He retained his concentration and willed himself to focus on the fight.

Every now and then, Zhao would shout taunts and jeers at him, provoking him to strike but Zuko never took the bait. Instead, he showed how much better he was by simply waiting for the opportune moments to strike.

With quick and smooth movements, the younger firebender sliced through the attacks of the older, splitting the already small flames into thinner ones. Sometimes, Zhao's fire blasts would turn to wisps of smoke before they even reached Zuko.

The prince maintained a distance from his opponent but was careful to block Zhao's every attack. He did not trust the older man and knew that Zhao might very well break the rules and start attacking the villagers.

He would not allow that.

Zhao clapped his hands together and struck the ground, releasing large curtains of flame around him and tossing them towards Zuko.

Zuko crossed his arms and broke through this wall of fire. He took whatever flames that were left and retaliated with a long, thin whip of fire, lashing at his opponent with fairly accurate aim.

Zhao had only moments to block and break this attack before Zuko was upon him, walking forward (but still in proper stance) and striking with smaller darts of fire. This technique required less energy but was still capable of doing some damage.

Zuko made sure that every flame that left his hands was a lot hotter than he was used to launching so that they would not die easily in the cold wind.

He made sure to take deep breaths and to maintain his composure. All his training seemed to be paying off. And it helped, of course, that he was more motivated in this fight than his opponent was.

There was more at stake for him than for Zhao. And as he started to think about all the people who were depending on him, Zuko momentarily lost his focus. Especially when he happened to look in Katara's direction.

His eyes met hers for the briefest moment.

This was enough for Zhao to catch him off his guard. With a smirk of satisfaction, the older firebender gave a fierce kick to the ground, burning the spot where Zuko was standing.

Zuko shook his head to forget the distraction and leaped away just in the nick of time.

Focus, he thought resolutely, I need to focus.

He took some steps backward as Zhao prepared another round of fire blasts. He dissipated them and made no counterattacks.

Zhao was beginning to see a pattern in Zuko's fighting. He began to believe that his opponent was quickly weakening and that he would truly win this fight.

He had had some doubts about it when they had started fighting but now, seeing as he had won a minor triumph by _almost _throwing Zuko off balance, Zhao seemed more smug about victory.

He would never allow this disgraced prince to beat him at his own game. Not in front of his men, and especially not in front of some Water Tribe peasants.

Zhao narrowed his eyes maliciously at the other firebender.

Zuko had not launched any attack for the past few minutes, and had only relied on his excellent footwork and posture to avoid and block all of Zhao's shots.

"Your defensive skills are impressive, Zuko," Zhao taunted, "but it's sad that that is all you will be able to do with me. You haven't landed a single blow on me yet, you weakling!"

"You forget that you have not touched me either," Zuko replied calmly, his eyes narrowed.

Zhao's eyes widened in rage and he began to punch fire balls in Zuko's direction. Zuko sliced through these with ease.

Zhao's energy was running low now, from using up a lot of his fire power on large and fierce attacks. He was breathing hard now, his shoulders heaving from exertion.

Even as his arms were extended, they were now not as steady as they had been. To Zhao's alarm, his hands were trembling slightly from fatigue and he was growing slightly nauseous.

He narrowed his eyes, determined not to lose. Zuko remained steady and straight-backed as he had been when they had started.

With circular movements of his hands, Zuko conjured up some discs of fire which he set upon Zhao one after the other.

Zhao leaped away in time but was now gasping for breath. He frowned angrily. He needed to buy some time.

But Zuko wasn't about to give him that luxury. Now was Zuko's chance to go on the offensive.

In moments, Zhao found himself a target of several darts of fire. While he was busy blocking and breaking these minor shots, Zuko was thinking of a way to finish the fight once and for all.

Zuko could not sustain large curtains of fire in such weather. The best way to beat Zhao with fire was at close range.

So he developed a way of closing the distance between them. Taking a deep breath, the young firebender tried to summon his breath of fire to do its wonders.

Zhao didn't know what hit him. Having only recovered from the latest round of fire darts, the older firebender soon found himself with no visibility of the things around him.

He was surrounded by curtains of steam.

The misty haze was so thick that despite his slicing through them, he could not get through.

Zhao cursed under his breath. He saw Zuko's plan now and acknowledged it to be a good one. He would not be able to see where the boy's attack would be coming.

And as much as he hated to admit it, even if he did see, Zhao was already too weak to retaliate adequately to whatever Zuko would throw at him.

He maintained his fighting stance as best as he could, his eyes frantically darting from one side to another, his breathing ragged and heavy.

There was no sign of Zuko anywhere. No sound indicated the younger firebender's presence.

This ignorance and helplessness enraged Zhao. He was clearly going to lose this fight and he hated that.

But even as he arbitrarily launched small fire balls into the air around him, nothing happened.

Zuko now had the upper hand.

"You coward!" he yelled into the steam desperately, "come out and fight like a man! Come out of hiding!"

"Not so loud, Zhao," Zuko told him, "I'm standing right here."

And just that moment, the steam vanished (from a measured and precise application of fire) and Zhao saw that he indeed stood face to face with his adversary.

Zuko's outstretched arms were inches from Zhao's nervous face.

Their eyes were narrowed at each other.

And then, quickly and resolutely, Zuko launched one attack after another, causing Zhao to take a step back every time.

Finally, Zhao tripped and landed on his back. With a loud roar, Zuko launched a fire blast towards him and burned the ground right beside Zhao's face.

The older man flinched and did nothing.

With the greatest reluctance, Zhao opened his eyes and begrudgingly admitted defeat.

A cheer was heard from the villagers of the South Pole as Zuko turned to walk towards them in triumph.

Zhao was glaring viciously at his opponent, hating Zuko more and more for having humiliated him.

As Zuko walked away, Zhao knew that he would never let that disgraced prince get away with this insult to his pride.

Rising from the ground, and defying all moral principles, Zhao used his remaining energy to blast a large flame at the unknowing Zuko.

"Zuko, watch out!" a voice cried.

And the young firebender turned just in time to see a large flame being blocked by a wall of ice.

Iroh had made a move to deflect the blow but Katara had been too fast for him.

Zhao's eyes had widened with realization, and a malicious grin was forming on his face.

And now she stood, her hands poised above the icy barrier, her eyes wide.

"No!" Zuko cried as he ran in front of her, raising his arm before her protectively.

All they heard next was Zhao's malevolent, triumphant laughter.


	18. Chapter 17

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar: the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: Sorry for the delay. Zutara Week, School, Work, anyway. Thanks for all your reviews and I hope you like this one!**

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

"I'm afraid you won't be able to talk yourself out of this one."

Zhao smirked sinisterly as he looked at the couple of benders. Zuko stood protectively in front of the waterbender, while the girl looked with horrified realization at him.

"She has doomed you all," Zhao stated coldly and cruelly, his evil grin growing.

Loud gasps and cries echoed through the members of the Water Tribe as they heard this damning pronouncement. Kanna covered her mouth in horror and Sokka's eyes grew wide with shock. Iroh frowned at Zhao.

Zuko glared at him viciously, but knew that, to a dangerous extent, Zhao was right.

Behind the young prince, Katara shivered at those words and bowed her head sadly.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered despondently to the young firebender. She wanted to reach out to him, but withdrew her hand in shame. He did not turn to look at her.

Zuko was too busy quickly racking his brain for a solution, any way that they could avoid such a conflict. He could not stand Zhao's triumphant expression but knew that he was no longer in a good position to negotiate.

"You cheated," he shouted accusingly, unable to suppress his outrage at the turn of events.

"You lied," Zhao retorted bitterly, and Zuko could not deny the truth in this.

Zuko gritted his teeth. While this was true, he had mistakenly allowed Zhao to manipulate the situation. The man never fought fairly.

They had run out of options and the villainous commander was now about to give the order to destroy the village.

Zuko felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his uncle looking at him gravely.

Sokka and Kanna had advanced as well and looked at the older firebender with concern. Kanna also put her arms around her granddaughter, who was close to tears.

"What are we going to do now?" Zuko asked his uncle.

Iroh closed his eyes and pondered as quickly as he could.

Fortunately for all of them, Zhao's soldiers were kinder than him and they were all very hesitant about following their latest orders.

"Sir, are you sure this is really necessary?" one of them had the gall to ask.

Zhao became livid.

"How dare you question my authority!?" he roared, "do you want to be severely punished for your insubordination?!"

The man cowered in fear but said nothing.

Zhao glared at him and looked at the others.

"Do any of you share the same _opinion," _Zhao almost spat the word, "as this sorry little idiot?"

Their masks hid their expressions but judging by their rigid postures, they were not as frightened as he wanted them to be. Zhao narrowed his eyes at his men.

A strong firebender though he may be, he was still going to be no match against his whole army, especially if they were all feeling even slightly mutinous. He could not fully impose his will on all of them if none would stand on his side.

This little tension did not escape Iroh's notice. He found a potential way out and decided to make the most he could out of it.

He whispered his intentions to his nephew who looked at his uncle gravely before nodding. Then, Iroh made a gesture to the Water Tribe members, indicating that he wanted them to be silent on the matter.

Iroh would handle the problem, and they all trusted that he would work something out for them.

Zuko, Katara, Sokka, Kanna, and the others watched nervously as Iroh approached the seething commander.

Zhao was too busy trying to look as intimidating as he could to notice the old man cautiously walking towards him.

"Do you know what the penalty is for traitors?!" Zhao yelled at his men who shivered but said nothing.

"But sir," one protested.

"I will not tolerate insubordination in my ranks!" the enraged commander barked, "am I clearly understood?"

Finally succumbing to fear, the soldiers all nodded their assent. But they did so with the slightest hesitation (something Iroh was quick to notice). Zhao, however, was too confident in his abilities to inspire fear and loyalty so he believed his reprimand adequate.

Zhao sighed with satisfaction and then turned around to find himself face to face with the Dragon of the West, looking no less fierce in spite of his old age.

Taken aback by the nearness of his opponent, Zhao instinctively took a few steps backward, his eyes wide. However, he recovered quickly and in moments he wore a pompous scowl on his face.

"Don't tell me you're going to challenge me to an Agni Kai too, ex-General Iroh?" Zhao asked mockingly, "this really must be my lucky day."

Iroh didn't take the bait. He returned Zhao's gaze purposefully.

"You don't need to harm them, Zhao," the old man said carefully. Zhao laughed at this.

"I do believe the time for negotiation is long past, Iroh," the younger man argued scornfully, "you have nothing more to bargain with. You are all lost and there's just no going around it."

Iroh sighed heavily before saying the next words. Zuko watched his uncle warily.

"Zuko and I will surrender ourselves to you without any trouble," the old man announced quietly, "take us as your prisoners in return for leaving the Southern Water Tribe in peace. I can assure you that the waterbender will do nothing to stop you."

Sokka, Katara, and the other members of the Water Tribe turned their gaze to the old firebender incredulously. But they saw that he was in earnest, and that Zuko was not protesting.

The siblings looked from one firebender to another in surprise, gratitude, and concern. And they waited for Zhao's reply to this.

Zhao raised an eyebrow at this offer, and for the first few moments he was unable to react, not even to gloat. He was astonished that Iroh and Zuko would offer themselves up so easily.

It was not customary in the Fire Nation for this to happen and he had never expected such selfless sacrifice to come from the proudest members of the Fire Nation royal family.

Zhao frowned and snorted at them, shaking his head in great disappointment.

"You really are more pathetic than I thought," the commander jeered contemptuously, "a true disgrace to the Fire Nation and to your own lineage."

Iroh closed his eyes in resignation, saying nothing, unruffled by any of the insults being leveled at him and Zuko. Even the younger firebender maintained his composure, although his fists were clenched and he was gritting his teeth.

Zuko had taken a few steps forward to join his uncle, as if to confirm the old man's words. And they listened as calmly as they could to Zhao's vicious tirades.

"You would give yourself up so easily for others, it would be noble but," Zhao continued scornfully, "to sacrifice your own lives for a bunch of Water Tribe peasants? That's just foolishness!"

They would not argue, they would not fight back. This was their only chance of saving Katara and the rest of the Southern Water Tribe.

The arrogant Fire Nation officer continued to jeer and insult his former compatriots, trying to humiliate them as much as he could in front of the other Fire Nation soldiers, as well as in front of the members of the Water Tribe.

And yet, he left them all in suspense as to whether or not he had accepted their proposal. He enjoyed feeling in control of their lives and wanted to impose that power on them for as long as he could.

Sokka suppressed his rage as he listened to all the insults being thrown at their friends. He understood that one's pride could be more deeply wounded that one's body and he could almost feel the pain being caused by Zhao's harsh words.

What angered him more was the fact that Iroh and Zuko had to endure such treatment in order to save the Water Tribe. And there he was, helpless to defend his own people, relying on the kindness of two firebenders.

He was sorely tempted to attack the pompous commander, to show him just whom he was dealing with but Iroh had already warned him against it. There were too many soldiers, and to act recklessly might endanger the others.

He turned to glance at his sister and saw that she was struggling in the same way he was. And he could tell by her quivering lips that she was holding back tears as well.

Sokka sighed. Katara was feeling guilty for having brought this upon them all, although the Water Tribe Warrior had a feeling that Zhao would have found a way to double-cross them one way or another.

Nevertheless, his sister felt accountable for what was happening now and yet, like him, she was powerless to change anything. Sokka knew that she dearly wanted to stop Zuko from going but also knew that they needed to part, in order to survive.

All hope lay with Zuko and Iroh now. All their lives hung in the balance.

After having a good, evil laugh at the situation, Zhao turned a serious gaze upon the two potential captives.

"And don't you think I can't just capture both of you now," he asked threateningly, "and then still get rid of the waterbender as well as destroy this pathetic excuse for a village?"

Zhao grinned malevolently, waiting to see the effect this pronouncement had on them all.

This threat was very plausible and Zuko could say nothing to counter it. He merely narrowed his eyes at Zhao, still unwilling to admit defeat.

Fortunately, Iroh had already prepared a rebuttal to this argument.

"That would be contrary to your purpose," Iroh replied coolly, to everyone's astonishment.

Zhao raised an eyebrow at this as well.

"And what, pray tell, is my purpose?" he asked curiously.

"Glory," Iroh answered simply, "power and position, all that can only be attained by doing great favors for the Fire Lord, such as delivering two traitors to him without delay."

"Speak plainly, Iroh," Zhao ordered, his tone becoming slightly nervous, and therefore louder, "I have no need for your proverbs and riddles."

Iroh stared at Zhao gravely.

"I know my brother well," he continued, "and I know that he will be far from pleased to learn that you delayed in such an important task just because there happened to be one waterbender standing in your way."

Zhao frowned at this but refused to agree to it.

"That's nonsense," he argued, "the Fire Lord will be pleased to know that got rid of yet another obstacle that stands in his way. He will reward me for it."

"Destroying this place and killing the waterbender would be to admit that they are a threat to the Fire Nation," Iroh continued, "and if there is anything my brother hates, it's the admission that there are those who have the power to oppose him. He may concede to Ba Sing Se or the Northern Water Tribe because these are large and significant groups, but to acknowledge a threat from the Southern Water Tribe? He would feel insulted."

This time, it was Zhao gritting his teeth in frustration. But he knew well that the Fire Lord was quick to anger. He clenched his fist and said nothing.

Iroh could see that he was reaching the insolent commander but he needed to push his point deeper in if he truly wanted a strong impact.

"And how would the Fire Lord learn of this delay if I do not tell him myself," Zhao attempted to argue, "if there are no witnesses, then, nothing has happened."

"Do you truly trust your soldiers, then?" Iroh asked.

"They would never dare betray me," Zhao said threateningly, although with a tinge of doubt.

"Even so," Iroh continued, "nothing can be kept secret, even in the isolation of this area. Bad news travels faster than you think, and the Fire Lord has his ways of knowing everything that goes on in this world. And he hates things being concealed from him."

Zuko was looking at his uncle with mingled admiration and worry. This was a dangerous game they were playing. And given Zhao's volatile nature, no amount of planning or scheming might be able to sway him.

"Would you really risk the Fire Lord's displeasure," Iroh continued persuasively, "for some meager and easy conquest such as this? And what kind of victory would this be? A master firebender and his army against defenseless women and children."

Iroh paused to gage Zhao's reaction and the older man could see that his words really had some effect.

"That would be truly disgraceful, Zhao," Iroh finished sternly, "in anyone's eyes, that would be pathetic."

At that moment, Zhao felt all eyes on him and much to his annoyance, he could tell that even his soldiers were pronouncing some sort of judgment on him. They all believed Iroh, and as much as he hated to admit it, he did too.

Zhao began to fume, and wisps of smoke came out from his ears. Had the situation not been so grim, this would have been comical.

But no one was laughing. All waited in dreadful suspense for Zhao's final decision.

The commander had his eyes closed and his brows furrowed. Both of his fists were clenched and he was shaking.

Seeing this, Iroh warned Zuko to take a few steps backward and they were just in time.

They barely missed a large flame which emanated from the infuriated commander's nostrils.

Zhao was mad, because he had just been proven wrong. He took several deep breaths after releasing the fire.

While Zhao was still in the midst of this fit, Iroh beckoned for Sokka and Katara to come closer.

Without turning to look at the Water Tribe siblings, the two firebenders who were to be taken captive, whispered some instructions.

"He's going to give in," Iroh whispered to Sokka, "and we will definitely be taken to the ship and led to the Fire Nation. But that will not be the end of our troubles."

"Why can't we just fight them here?" Sokka asked stubbornly.

"You already know why," Iroh whispered back, "we cannot risk the lives of the others. Zuko and I can take them all once we are farther away from the village, but we cannot endanger the others."

Sokka made a noise of assent.

"But you and Katara must set up defenses of some kind," Iroh instructed, "I suspect that even we have already boarded the ship, Zhao will still try to attack this village from afar. You need to bring all the women and children to safety as soon as you can. And then, you and Katara can block any attacks they send that Zuko and I are unable to stop."

"You can count on me," Sokka answered with conviction.

"I know," Iroh replied with a small, encouraging smile. He moved his head sideways and nodded slightly at Kanna. She nodded back, understanding everything.

--

"I'm so sorry that you have to do this," Katara whispered to Zuko's back.

"It's not your fault," Zuko reassured her, "Zhao was never one to be trusted with anything. Besides, I owe you my life...again. I'm running out of ways of making amends."

"I don't want you to die," she whispered despondently.

"I won't," Zuko muttered, "not like this. Uncle and I will make sure of it. Once we are on the ship, we can take them all."

"Be careful," Katara warned.

"Be on your guard," Zuko advised.

"I will, don't worry," she replied in earnest.

"I'll come back, I promise," Zuko whispered with determination.

"I'll be waiting," Katara whispered back.

--

"I've had enough of these games," Zhao roared in exasperation, "I don't have to waste my time dealing with such weak and useless peasants, even if there is a waterbender here in the South Pole."

_It didn't matter anyway, she couldn't do anything to stop him. He had to admit that Iroh was right. Lingering there longer was only a waste of time._

"Well?" Zhao asked a nearby soldier furiously, "What are you standing around there for? Bind the prisoners."

Several soldiers immediately obeyed orders and surrounded Iroh and Zuko. Sokka and Katara had rejoined their people and watched in sadness and gratitude as the two firebenders were led away from them.

Zhao walked ahead of them, and while passing by the Water Tribe members, he scowled at them. Sokka and Katara glared at him but did nothing to stop him. They were kept at bay by warning glances from Zuko and Iroh.

In a very short while, the South Pole was emptied of all firebenders. The huge Fire Nation ship was soon fully boarded and slid into the waves, the ocean carrying it away from the people of the Water Tribe.

Sokka, Katara, Kanna, and the rest of the villagers watched in sadness and apprehension as the shadow of the vessel left their shores.

"Be on your guard," Sokka remembered Iroh saying to him just before they left, "Zhao is not to be trusted."

--

"Such a heavy price to pay," Zhao taunted the two prisoners, "in exchange for the lives of filthy Water Tribe peasants."

The triumphant commander had his back to the two captives, and he was busy gazing at the shore of the South Pole. Zuko and Iroh said nothing.

"Too bad it was all for nothing," he added sinisterly.


	19. Chapter 18

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar: the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: The obligatory battle scene chapter for the story. As you know, I like including action in my long stories, although I cannot promise that I write them well. It always looks so much cooler in my head than when I put it all down in paper. There will be some funny anomalies. As I mentioned before, the Spirits are at work (or at play) here.**

**And let me apologize in advance. The next chapter might take a while coming because school has swamped me with papers, readings, project proposals, and a script for a play I have to write. But there will be an update next week, for sure.**

**SHOUT OUT TO BONNIE! Thanks for all your reviews to my other stories. How can I contact you? I have a little something for you. :)**

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

It was a sight they had hoped never to see again.

The sky blotched with great balls of fire, destruction raining upon their small village.

But this time, they were all ready for the attack.

Unfortunately, that didn't make them less terrified of it.

Sokka and Katara immediately took charge of the situation. Fortunately, most of the young children had already been evacuated and only a few people were left in the village. Katara had already built secure ice walls at the fore front of the village as initial shields for any attacks.

They had taken Iroh's warning very seriously and now were all glad for it. Zhao had not caught them unawares and they would not give the pompous firebender the satisfaction of beating them.

Taking a deep breath, Katara raised her arms determinedly, and blocked the fire balls with a massive wall of ice. She concentrated on making the ice as cold and as sturdy as she could.

And with quick movements, she was able to whip some water onto the onslaught of fire balls, immediately extinguishing them.

Most of them melted upon contact with the ice, causing walls of steam to rise up from where they fell. A large dome of snow and ice had been constructed around the area where the houses were, as protection against the fire. Most of the people had retreated to safe havens built far beyond the reach of the Fire Nation ship. They would be protected there even as their village was being besieged.

But even if the fire balls were extinguished, they were still large rocks which could destroy the village. So Katara, upon Sokka's advice, built a large ice slide that would "catch" the falling debris and cause them to slide away from the village and roll all the way down to the ocean. Great splashes were heard as each large rock disturbed the usually still waters.

Zhao's ship had stopped moving at a short distance from the village but there was no movement towards them. By the looks of it, Zhao hoped to destroy the South Pole with as little inconvenience to himself as possible. He only used short-range weapons and did not bother to send his soldiers ashore. He seemed to believe that whatever defenses the small Water Tribe village had would not hold.

But they did, thanks to the efforts of the two dynamic siblings.

Katara's waterbending prowess was showing, as well as her creativity and resourcefulness. Her element surrounded her and so she was able to make the most of it.

Sokka felt that his sister was doing most of the work but there was nothing to be done about it. For once did he envy Katara her ability to bend water. But now was hardly the time for regrets.

The young Water Tribe warrior simply tried his best to escort everyone else to safety. He also stayed by Katara's side, trying to give her as much advice as he could and keeping his eye out for all the fire balls. He would alert her as to which direction she should pay attention to. His spotting the fireballs helped her aim faster at them and to prevent them from causing major destruction. Occasionally, he would be able to launch his boomerang at the smaller fireballs and slice them into smaller, harmless bits. But this did not happen very often, although his actions marginally helped his sister, keeping her busy with the bigger, less manageable pieces.

That was the most he could do for the moment although he was constantly racking his brain for ways that he could be of more use to his younger sister.

So much for being the head of the tribe. He shook his head. This was not the time for such thoughts.

But Sokka knew that no one blamed him for anything. He just wished he could do more.

But as time passed, Katara weakened. Powerful bender though she had become, she could not handle all the attacks alone. There were too many balls of fire falling on them, launched by Zhao's catapults and also by some of his soldiers. The onslaught of fire and ash continued ruthlessly.

No one from the village would be hurt by this attack, but if the fire kept on coming, she might not be able to stop them from causing serious damage.

Sokka and Katara looked at each other worriedly.

"What does he intend to do by continuing this way?" Katara asked with concern, "we are nothing to him."

"And that's exactly what he wants us to feel," Sokka replied with a frown, "he means to blot us out of the map, to leave no survivors, no trace of our having even existed."

Sokka clenched his fists in outrage. Zhao looked down on them so much that he wanted to squash them out. And as much as he hated to admit it, Sokka knew that the odious commander had the force to do so.

Realizing the motives of the pompous Fire Nation commander, Katara felt enraged and enlivened. Her blue eyes burned with a fiery determination to protect all that she held dear.

"Well," she whispered resolutely, "he will never succeed in that. I will make sure of it."

Sokka looked at his sister in surprise at the anger he saw in her face. He had never seen her so stern and stubborn before. But he felt just as she did, and he nodded at her, as if silently giving her leave to do whatever she must.

Not that she needed his permission.

Zuko and Iroh had surrendered to save her and the rest of the village. The firebenders had given up their freedom to protect a group of people so wholly unconnected to them. She would make sure that their sacrifice would not be in vain.

Everything was at stake here, her home, her family, her world. No one would destroy this, for as long as she could stand and fight.

With a deep breath, Katara mustered all her energy and power, raising both arms skillfully, she summoned the waves and the ice to her command. The waters rising along with her movements, she created a massive shield of ice and snow, greater than even the largest glaciers that floated in the ocean. The icy shield rose under her control and effectively blocked out all the fire attacks shot at them.

Sokka watched in speechless awe as his sister conjured the immaculate and impenetrable ice wall. The fire balls were but small splotches against this sturdy surface. Katara was trembling from the exertion and her breathing was unstable but the fierce determination in her face was unquestionable.

Larger and hotter fire blasts were sent their way but the wall remained impenetrable. But Zhao seemed to be using larger and more dangerous weapons and now even large harpoons were launched at them, causing cracks in the ice. Certain portions of the wall sizzled as fire blasts hit the surface.

Katara's strength was waning and she gasped as she nearly collapsed to the ground. She fell into her brother's arms and he struggled to steady her. She was panting heavily and she was too feeble to move.

"Hold on, Katara," Sokka told his sister encouragingly, "hold on."

They watched fearfully as the wall was now slowly but surely being torn apart but she no longer had the power to reinforce it. She needed to rest. As much as her mind told her to stay alert, her body was refusing and her eyelids were dropping. She had exhausted herself and could not even clench her fists.

Sokka took her tired hands in his and tried his best to support her.

Tears were about to fall from her eyes as she struggled to get up. She could hear the wall slowly crumbling and she longed to fix it but she was just too weak. She raised a hand but it trembled.

"Don't exert yourself too much, Katara," Sokka urged her, "we'll get through this somehow, don't worry."

She nodded feebly at him and he squeezed her shoulders reassuringly.

But at that moment, the crashing noises against the wall ceased. The two siblings looked with surprise at their defensive barrier. It remained intact.

They looked at each other questioningly and waited for the attacks to resume. But none came. All was still and silent.

Sokka narrowed his eyes at the wall but saw no signs of new attacks. A strange calm had settled on them all. He had his suspicions about this new development but something unfamiliar seemed to nudge him from inside.

Optimism.

"Could it be..?" the thought formed in Sokka's head and he allowed himself to entertain such a promising possibility. But only slightly.

Katara didn't dare bring down the wall, for fear that this sudden cessation of hostilities was merely a ploy to get her to lessen their defenses. But despite her slight apprehension, some hope welled up in her.

Her eyes turned towards the great metal ship from where the fire came or at least to its estimated location, since she could no longer see it from behind the ice wall she had constructed.

There were two firebenders there who had not let her down.

--

Zuko and Iroh had wasted no time in breaking free of their bonds and stopping Zhao's attacks on the Water Tribe.

From the moment they were brought aboard the ship, the two intrepid firebenders had already determined their plan of escape.

Neither of them had trusted that Zhao would keep his word about sparing Katara and the village. But they wanted to make sure that they would be able to defeat Zhao and his forces from the inside, and therefore, minimize the casualties of the conflict.

Uncle and nephew had grown so accustomed to each other's habits that they were already able to communicate effectively without saying a word to each other. Everything had been executed with minimal verbal instructions.

The poor soldiers did not know what hit them as the combined forces of the Dragon of the West and the "Dragon of the South Pole" unleashed their furies on them. Zhao's ship was filled with crewmen and soldiers but the two formidable firebenders were able to deal with them simultaneously.

Their fiercest opponent, of course, turned out to be Zhao himself. The man had been foolish enough not to expect any retaliation from them and so at first they had the element of surprise on their side.

And by this time, some of the remaining soldiers began to be more organized as well and proved to be major hindrances to the two. The vessel held more than they had imagined. After all, it was a much larger ship than the one Zuko used to have when he was still hunting down the Avatar.

But as soon as the man had gotten over the shock of their strength, Zhao proved to be a serious adversary. He yelled forcefully to the remaining men to continue launching attacks and soon Zuko and Iroh had to contend with several forces at once.

On one side, there were the soldiers who were assigned to subdue them. Simultaneous and numerous attacks were not that difficult to block but doing so did require some time.

Then, there were the soldiers who were assigned to continue launching fire balls at the Southern Water Tribe. It became difficult for either Zuko or Iroh to stop them since they were too busy stopping the other soldiers who were attacking them. Knowing that some of the brainless buffoons were merely acting on orders, Iroh tried to be merciful in dispatching them. At least, they would fall unconscious and not seriously injured. Unfortunately for the others, Zuko did not have the patience to be so considerate.

Every once in a while though, they were fortunate enough to destroy one of the catapults or at least stop an attack from being launched at the village. But such opportunities grew more and more difficult to come by as the fighting progressed. Zhao had some rather talented firebenders at his service.

And then there was Zhao himself, who could not bear to be excluded from the action. He was in the middle of both supervising the destruction of the South Pole and making sure that the two rogue firebenders would be unable to thwart him. He had sinister satisfaction in the difficulties Zuko and Iroh were going through as well as the torture he was inflicting upon them by bombarding the Water Tribe with fire and destruction.

"I am appalled by the depths of your treachery," the commander told them contemptuously, "to think you would even try to defeat my entire force just to save some Water Tribe peasants, my, my have you two sunk so low."

Zuko and Iroh did not dignify his comments with any response. Instead, they glared at him and concentrated on getting rid of the hapless soldiers standing in their way.

The only reason Zhao had the luxury of mocking them was because he was letting his soldiers handle all the work of fighting the two firebenders. Unfortunately for him, this luxury did not last for very long.

Even the best soldiers of the Fire Nation Army or Navy could not resist the fierce and steadfast determination of two of the most powerful firebenders in the world, and especially since they had more motivation to win.

After all, most of the soldiers had already been reluctant about the fight in the first place and some of them even purposefully let Zuko and Iroh win because they were reluctant to destroy the Water Tribe in the first place. Most of them just wanted to put up a show in front of their commander because they did not want to risk his wrath.

This wasn't exactly the smartest decision most of them ever made (seeing as it would have been best for them to simply desert their captain and side with the two rebels) but fear makes us act in irrational ways.

But in the end, the two rebels prevailed.

Zhao's eyes grew wide with fear and shock as the last of his soldiers fell before him. No one was even manning the catapults anymore or launching any more fire blasts at the Water Tribe. The ice wall the waterbender had built remained intact and sturdy, now untouched by any fire balls.

Iroh was standing before the arrogant commander now, his golden eyes narrowed fiercely at the latter. Zhao could not help but gulp in fear at the sight of the former general, still glorious in his old age.

"This ends here," Iroh declared, his face determined, and his stance steady.

Zhao took a few bewildered steps backward as the older man raised his hands, flames emanating from each finger.

--

Meanwhile, Zuko had gone down to the engine room. The rest of the crew fled in fear but he did not attack them. Instead, he shouted at them to leave the ship as fast as they could.

"If you want to live," the prince roared at them urgently, "abandon ship now. I'm going to sink this ship."

The frightened crew did as they were told and fled to the remaining life boats.

Once the young prince was left alone, he took a quick glance around him, taking in the familiar sights of the ship's inner mechanisms.

And then, with swift and decisive movements, he turned various controls around, pulled at many levers and then blasted the rest of the machinery with fire from his fists.

When he was satisfied that the ship would no longer function, he returned to the deck as quickly as he could, where his uncle and Zhao were dueling. Behind him, everything exploded into vicious flames.

--

The two firebenders paused in their fight as the explosions rocked the ship. Each man struggled to keep his balance but undoubtedly, Iroh was better at doing so. Zhao faltered, as a result of his own lack of self-control.

Zhao clutched at the ship's side desperately and his feet began to slip on the metal floors. He cursed with frustration and tried blasting large flames at his opponent, who only sliced them in two without any effort.

The defeated man clung to the ship in fear, knowing full well that he had been beaten. He could see his ship erupt in flames and could feel the vessel quickly sinking into the freezing depths of the ocean.

Iroh stood before him now, his expert hand poised at Zhao's throat. The other man gulped in fright, his eyes wide with fear of death.

"Please, have mercy," the fallen commander begged pathetically.

Iroh looked at him sternly.

"You're pathetic," Zuko said angrily as he looked at the groveling commander, "you don't deserve any mercy."

But Iroh was kind and he withdrew his arm, but his eyes never left the other man's face. Zuko looked at his uncle curiously.

The moment of hesitation was all the other man needed.

Zhao had seen this coming and took this final opportunity to quickly get to his feet, panting heavily, a strange, mad look in his golden eyes.

Iroh and Zuko raised their arms defensively, ready to counter any attack.

But much to their surprise, Zhao turned away from them and faced the secured South Pole. They saw his intent but were too late in stopping him.

Using every bit of fire power he had left, the commander aimed at the wall of ice that had remained standing, and sent several powerful fire blasts to the wall, and to the surrounding glaciers and snow-filled mountains.

There were loud cracking sounds as the ice began to break, and the snow loosen from the mountains. The ice began to fall in large chunks, and the snow was sliding down faster and faster.

Zuko and Iroh gasped at this and the younger firebender quickly dove into the water, swimming as fast as he could towards the village.

But there was not much one could do to counter an avalanche.

"If I must go down," Zhao yelled in mad-eyed frenzy, "I'm taking you all with me!"


	20. Chapter 19

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar: the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: Virtual cookies to those who can guess the Disney movie that inspired these scenes. Practically a give away.**

**Forgive the repeated use of the words "snow" and "ice" in this chapter. There aren't a lot of synonyms for them and no equivalents for what I need to describe the situation.**

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

As soon as he heard the ice crack, Sokka did not waste any time.

He picked up his exhausted sister and ran as fast as he could, as far away from the avalanche as his feet could carry him.

Katara was still too weak to budge and barely conscious. But she did sense great danger and was angry at herself for being so feeble at such a crucial moment. There was nothing to be done about it, however, and for the first few minutes, she could only lean into her brother's arms as he carried her to safety.

All around them snow was falling, not in manageable doses, but in large, engulfing amounts which threatened to swallow them whole. Sokka hardly knew where to turn, what direction to follow, since he and his sister were completely surrounded by the cold, white mass of ice and snow.

Down the nearby slopes the Water Tribe warrior half-ran, and half-slid, struggling to keep his balance while holding his sister. There was nothing to be seen but a world of white and Sokka simply tried to avoid being swamped by all the snow. It was impossible to make sense of the madness, even with his inherent Water Tribe ingenuity.

Along with the falling snow, the temperature was quickly dropping as well. And although he was already accustomed to cold weather, the extremes of the cold were becoming close to unbearable. His feet were growing number and number by the minute and he was already shivering violently, and yet still trying to push forward, and keep his sister warm as well.

The siblings' breath came out as white smoke as Sokka traversed the land. Being accustomed to their village and its environs, they never really realized how wide an expanse of land they crossed every time they walked towards the wharf. This was perhaps because they had never really needed to make it through trenches of snow and ice.

Sokka was panting heavily, pushing his legs as far and as fast as they could go but he could already hear the roar of the avalanche fast approaching him.

"Hold on, Katara," he whispered breathlessly, "we'll get through this, I promise."

But as soon as he had said so, Sokka's eyes widened in shock as he saw the way before him blocked by another flow of snow and ice. His jaw dropped and he paused momentarily before simply running in a different direction, towards where there was less snow.

The last set of fire blasts that had been launched had hit several surrounding snowy mountains, which were now disintegrating onto the Water Tribe territory.

The siblings were only thankful that the rest of the village was far away and safe in their hiding place. But how the two of them would escape alive was becoming a very urgent matter.

Sokka and Katara seemed virtually trapped in a sea of snow, white waves just about to engulf them both completely. Sokka's legs were trembling as he trudged on as fast as he could. For as soon as he left slight boot prints on the ground, they were immediately covered by the flow of snow.

"Sokka," Katara whispered, not as feebly as she had spoken the last time, "put me down, I can run."

Without further hesitation, the brother sank to his knees and put Katara down. She scrambled to her feet quickly, some of her strength having been recovered by the short "rest". She took a deep breath and summoning some of her bending powers, she blew the oncoming ice as far away from them as she could. With some swift movements of her arms, she was also able to divert some of the snow from them.

When she had finished the temporary delay of the avalanche, Katara pulled her brother up, and taking his hand firmly in hers, began to run away from the waves of snow which continued to move towards them.

Sokka stumbled to his feet and ran. But this time, it was his sister who was supporting him.

"Is there any way that you could stop all this?" Sokka shouted above the roar of the snow.

"Not now," Katara yelled back, "I don't feel strong enough just yet."

"Well, at least this is an improvement," Sokka replied as the siblings fled. Katara paid him no mind.

Instead, she focused her gaze on an extremely small, but present, gap in the icy flood. There was a minor slope up ahead of them and knowing the terrain by heart, even with all the chaos of the avalanche, Katara was certain that if the two of them could only get over that slope, they would be free of the avalanche.

She narrowed her eyes. It would take some waterbending but she figured she could manage it. She yelled at her brother, explaining her plan to him and he heartily and most readily agreed to it.

"Get ready for it, Sokka," Katara cried as they neared the slope.

Unfortunately, just as they were a short distance from it, a wave of snow crashed in front of them, blocking their way. They took a few steps backward, just in time to avoid being swept away by the icy current.

Sokka cringed at the sight but Katara was unfazed. Raising her hands quickly, she created a wave of snow of her own, which carried both of them across the avalanche, closer and closer to the site of escape.

Sokka was amazed by the rapidity and smoothness of their movement and felt extremely glad that his sister was able to use her bending once more. They were almost there.

"Just a little further," Katara muttered to herself, as she could already see the avalanche-less land beyond the small slope. Her muscles were strained by all the effort required of her to create that wave but she was not going to give up now.

When she was practically at the peak of that slope, Katara pulled her brother's arm and pushed him forward.

"You go first, Sokka," she instructed, "I'll follow."

"Right," her brother agreed, taking her lead.

Using her bending, Katara formed a sort of ice slide that enabled Sokka to easily move to safer ground. As soon as he reached solid, non-snow-filled land, he looked up and waited for his sister, beckoning her to follow.

But just as Katara was about to jump down, the icy ledge on which she was standing cracked and to her surprise, it was engulfed once more in the turbulent waves of snow from the avalanche.

"Katara!" Sokka cried out, watching in horror as his sister sank back into the depths of the avalanche.

But there was no way he could reach her now. To scale the slopes to reach the basin where the snow was falling and crashing was impossible to do in such a short time. And he had already grown weak from all the running and carrying.

Sokka dearly hoped that his sister would still be able to use her bending to escape. She had to.

--

Zuko swam as fast as he could towards the village, where the avalanche had already begun its rampage. His muscles were already strained from the fighting he had been doing on Zhao's ship but he didn't care. He needed to save Katara.

How this would happen was still a bit of a mystery to him, however. Again, Zuko was guilty of simply jumping into something without thinking it through. All he could think see now was the collapse of the ice and the waves of white crashing down on the village. All he could think about was the fact that Katara was somewhere in that mess.

Panting heavily, he clambered ashore and was almost washed back into the sea by the waves of snow. He climbed over some large blocks of ice and tried to walk over the rest of it but he kept on slipping and sliding on the white mass.

The young firebender stumbled through the snow and felt it push him towards the deep waters once more. He frowned with frustration.

As he racked his brain for some way of traversing the tempest of ice and snow, a memory flashed through his mind.

It was a younger Azula, showing off her firebending abilities in front of their father. He had been so jealous of her that day.

_Why am I remembering this all of a sudden? _Zuko thought in exasperation.

The memory continued.

Azula was using jets of her trademark blue flames to propel herself forward. She could also do this to push herself upward, almost as if she could fly.

Zuko's eyes widened in realization. For once, Azula's arrogance was helpful to him.

He was nearly covered in snow now and he needed to act very fast.

Taking a deep breath, the young prince summoned all the energy and fire he could and with a powerful movement he blasted the ground, propelling him upward and out of the sea of snow.

Below him, the ice had melted from the heat of his blow, and the liquid created was now flowing back into the sea.

Zuko smiled satisfactorily, having formulated a strategy. Now all he needed to do was sustain it.

Which was easier said than done.

--

The snow continued to flow, and it became increasingly difficult for him to navigate through it. Something was amuck with the terrain of the South Pole.

Although he had only lived there for a short period of time, Zuko was fairly familiar with the geographic characteristics of the area and he was certain that drastic changes had taken place in the South Pole as a result of this avalanche.

It was beyond his understanding. Everywhere he looked, he saw whiteness, ice, and snow, nothing more.

No sight of Zhao's ship in the distance, not even black smoke from where he knew the vessel was burning. Not a sound from Iroh and Zhao's continued dueling. No cries from Sokka searching for his sister, nothing.

Zuko heard nothing but the roar of the avalanche as it raged.

And the further in he proceeded, the deeper the whiteness seemed to grow. It was as if he was navigating through a whirlpool of snow, sucking him into its icy vortex.

He had never seen anything like it and was sure that the Spirits had something to do with this. Zhao's final fire blasts had not been powerful enough to cause such massive destruction.

It was clear that he was no longer in the South Pole, or in any place in the Four Nations. But wherever he was now, he needed to find Katara, and they needed to escape this madness.

Melting ice behind him, Zuko moved forward, as best as he could, keeping a lookout for Katara and calling out her name.

She would not be hard to spot amidst the immaculate waves. And yet, for the longest time, he saw nothing, no sign of her, and he was growing very, very worried.

She was a waterbender, and a powerful one at that, but Zuko still doubted that she would be able to fully control the sheer mass of snow and ice that was converging from the avalanche.

"Katara!"

By this time, Zuko could no longer melt the ice around him. There was too much, and his limbs were growing numb from the extreme cold. He allowed himself to sink partially into the snow, just somehow maintaining his upper body free from the snow.

It had indeed turned into a whirlpool of snow, and he was quickly being sucked into it, however much he struggled against it.

Even as this was happening, the young firebender kept his eye out for Katara, never stopping shouting her name and looking about him for any sign of her.

And as he did so, he also tried to devise an escape plan for when he did find Katara. How were they going to get out of this maelstrom of ice?

He had no options to choose from, and there were no potential escape routes. He didn't even know which direction to turn to as soon as he found Katara. All he wanted now was to reach her.

They would not have a good escape plan, but this was not for lack of thinking things through.

Zuko was certain that the Spirits had something to do with this but for the life of him, he did not understand their purpose for such a distortion of weather and geography. As usual, their designs were incomprehensible to the mere mortal mind. But it frustrated him that they toyed with helpless mortals in such a way.

Was this some kind of punishment? If so, for what crime?

Surely, none of the members of the Water Tribe were guilty of any transgression. Katara, of all people, was free of all blame. So why this destruction?

And, on the most optimistic note that he could manage considering the circumstances, Zuko believed that he and his uncle had already sufficiently atoned for whatever mistakes they had made in the past.

After all, they were trying to set things right, to cleanse their family's name, and to restore their honor. Was none of this enough for the forces that be?

_Snow, snow, snow,_ Zuko thought with annoyance, _everywhere I look there's nothing but this blasted SNOW!_

Why had the Spirits allowed Zhao's final attacks to go this far?

He was sinking again, and the ice was beginning to cover his whole body. He needed to act fast, to summon as much energy as he could.

In a fit of utter frustration, the Fire Prince roared, unleashing a large, vicious flame. This made him look like the dragon the young Water Tribe boys had always imagined him to be.

As he broke through the wave of ice that had covered him, Zuko looked towards the center of the avalanche-caused whirlpool. There was a familiar dark blot in the midst of the pristine current.

His eyes widened as he recognized Katara's unconscious figure. He blinked but she did not disappear into the white depths.

Taking a deep breath, Zuko summoned all the power he had left in him (which was a great deal in spite of all the fighting he had been engaged in recently) and blasted himself from the snow. Momentarily floating in the air, he closed his fists and blasted fire behind him, propelling him forward, closer and closer to the waterbender.

Ice and snow were liquefied in his wake, but the firebender was determined, eager to close the gap between him and Katara. He would let nothing stand in his way.

Moments later and he had reached her, right at the heart of the whirlpool, as if she had been the vortex pulling everything towards her in the first place.

Zuko looked with surprise at the girl's position. She was not buried completely in the snow. In fact, the ice seemed to keep a distance from her body, and there was a small gap in the whole snowy blanket just for her.

Although her eyes were closed, her arms were raised in a bending position, a waterbending master to the last.

Zuko marveled at the power she wielded, even in a slumbering state. It was through her bending that the snow kept away from her and did not cover her completely. She still had a significant, albeit weak, control of the water around her, and therefore had saved herself from drowning and freezing to death.

"Let's get you back home," Zuko told her gently.

Not hesitating for another moment, Zuko quickly pulled her out of the snow and took her into his arms. He blasted fire from his feet to propel both of them forward, although now this action required a lot more energy since he was borne down with her weight.

He was half-wading in water now, liquefied snow that was quickly turning to ice again from the cold atmosphere.

Zuko gritted his teeth as he felt his fire power decrease. He struggled determinedly, holding Katara tighter as he trudged through the half-melted ice.

He had seen an exit, a slope in a distance that seemed to show the end of the avalanche. It was not too far away, but he still needed to contend with the opposing force of the snowy tide. He would deliver them both, somehow.

"Zuko," Katara whispered feebly, her eyes opening partially, "you found me."

"Don't worry, Katara," Zuko muttered in reply, his eyes focused on their exit, "I've got you."

She smiled weakly and gratefully at him.

But at that moment, they both felt themselves sink abruptly into the raging tide. They were able to hold on to each other tightly but Zuko realized with horror that his firebending had grown too weak to be of use to them.

It was sunset.


	21. Chapter 20

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar: the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: And here, at long last, is the final chapter. Forgive the cheesiness towards the end. Don't stop reading yet, though. There is still a short epilogue in store for you after this one. This was far from a great story but please just read the epilogue.  
**

**But let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who has joined me on this journey. It wasn't an easy one but it was enjoyable and rewarding to have such staunch and steadfast supporters.**

**Thanks to all those who read and reviewed this story.**

**And more thanks to those who have continued to read all my works for the past few years! Your support keeps me wanting to write!**

****

All my long and formal thank you's to come after the epilogue. You probably know what's going to happen there. Please do read it anyway.

I will be having midterms and exams almost every day for the next month. But I will see this through. I'll squeeze in writing in whatever free time I have left.

Please mark your calendars. I am determined to post the EPILOGUE on SEPTEMBER 9, Wednesday.. (09-09-09)! And watch out for the other stuff I will be posting on that special day!

**In the meantime, enjoy this one. Hope it doesn't bore you.**

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

The mistress of the night took her place in the sky.

Under the moon's invigorating glow, Katara opened her eyes and took control of her element.

Zuko was sinking fast into the snow, unconscious from exhaustion. Before doing anything else, Katara lifted him up by pushing the snow below him.

Riding a wave of snow, she took the firebender towards a nearby ledge and laid him there gently. His eyes were close but his breathing was steady and his expression was serene. Katara made sure that he had no major injuries and when she was more or less confident that she could leave him alone, she turned to check what was going on.

She had control of the avalanche now, and the snow would do her bidding.

Katara looked around but could not see Sokka or the rest of the villagers. She cast her gaze around and decided to get rid of the excess snow before doing anything else. She sighed deeply.

She was still feeling slightly faint from all the exertion she had being doing recently but the moon's radiance was giving her more energy by the minute.

The waterbender moved towards the center of the icy whirlpool, to where she had almost been sucked into only moments before.

She stood up straight, her posture steady and her arms raised in front of her, fingers poised over the snow. Her hands shook slightly and she trembled from the chill of the South Pole and the blowing night wind.

She had never really been religious but now she felt was the proper time to call upon the Spirits who had sent her on this extraordinary journey. She could feel that her mission was nearing its completion but there were still some tasks she needed to do.

Katara closed her eyes and willed herself to concentrate, taking deep breaths. She prayed to the Moon Spirit to grant her the strength to finish what needed to be done, to set things right again in her home.

"Oh great spirit," the waterbender fervently prayed, "gentle mistress of the night, please grant me some of your power once more. Help me overcome the remaining challenges that you have set before me."

Casting a glance at the ocean stretching out before her, and an almost completely sunken Fire Nation ship, Katara prayed to the Ocean Spirit as well. To her surprise, the ocean for as far as the eye could see was now completely frozen, a vast plain of cold, hard, unyielding ice stretching out before her.

"O Great Ocean Spirit," she began, "lend me your waves, and let me restore my home to what it was and should have been. Let me restore you to your glory. Help me avenge the wrongs that have been done to you."

"Let your power flow through me," she asked of both spirits, "and guide my hands, show me what I still need to do. Help me fulfill that mission which you have entrusted to me."

This time, she heard no strange voices and had no inexplicable visions. And she was more certain than ever of the presence of the Spirits.

No longer did she feel uncomfortable in the extreme cold because they had made her body adapt to this. Her hands were steadier now.

Katara felt as energy coursed through her veins, she felt her body grow stronger and also somewhat lighter. She allowed this power to fill her completely before she made a move.

In the silence, she was being directed towards something.

Or someone.

Katara turned her ocean-blue eyes towards where the very top of the large Fire Nation Vessel protruded from the ice.

In the longboats that were stuck in the ice not far from the ship, the frightened soldiers sat, shocked and confused at the turn of events.

Some of them had dared to run away but then had stopped when they saw how far the ice had spread. They knew not how they would escape the frozen wasteland and decided it would be best for them to stand together in this.

None of their training or experience could have prepared them for such bizarre and slightly frightening circumstances. So the most they could do was wait for things to sort themselves out.

Iroh had emerged from the ship unscathed and having pity on the confused soldiers, advised them to simply stay where they were. There was no use trying to escape.

The waters had frozen so suddenly and completely after Zhao had caused the avalanche. None of them had known how to deal with such a development.

Iroh had as fast as he could towards the village but was unsure of the direction since the whole place seemed to be only a mass of ice and snow.

He had watched as Zuko ran to find Katara and had waited for something to come of it.

As much as he disliked his circumstances, there was really nothing the aged firebender could do now but wait, just like the other soldiers. He had to be as patient as he could and simply hope for the best.

A little while later, when the old man saw Katara rise from the snow, he felt certain that things would work out well. He would leave the fate of all the people there in the hands of those the Spirits had handpicked.

Everything that had been happening followed a design, Iroh understood this well.

In his youth, he had played his part in the war and while he would still have some important tasks to fulfill in the future, the old man knew that the shaping of the world into a very different place would be done by younger, stronger hands.

And he was proud that Zuko was among those who were destined to bring everything back to the way it should be.

The old firebender saw where Katara had left his nephew and he instantly followed so that he could check and make sure Zuko was all right. He would let Katara take care of things for the moment.

--

The waterbender had a great view of the icy plains. She turned her gaze to the wreckage of the large Fire Nation vessel.

It seemed like the Southern Water Tribe would have another empty Fire Nation ship to add to its "collection" of war vessels. But this ship had sustained more damage than the old one where they had taken refuge some time ago.

Katara narrowed her eyes as she saw a lone figure slinking away from the ship as fast as he could. But there was no place to hide.

Nothing could escape her notice, especially not against the immaculately white backdrop of the ice.

Zhao would not get away.

--

The defeated commander frantically moved away from the ship, slipping and sliding on the icy surface. He had been shocked to see everything freeze as soon as the sun set and now all he wanted to do was to get away from that maddening place.

He had not looked back and believed Zuko and Iroh busy with dealing with the avalanche he had caused. He ran as far away as he could manage.

The arrogant officer was completely alone now, abandoned by his men, without any convenient means of transportation.

He was panting heavily and his eyes had lost that spark of cunning and cruelty which had been so characteristic of him.

He finally admitted that he was beaten, but he was not about to sit around and wait for the punishment he knew would come.

He crawled and groped and tried to cover some distance. No time for pride, just for escape.

Zhao didn't know what lay ahead of him, what he would do or say if he ever managed to return to the Fire Nation, what he would say to the Fire Lord. All that mattered now was escape.

Unfortunately for the fallen commander, he had not gone very far when someone crossed the eyes and stood before him.

"And where do you think you're going?"

As he crawled, Zhao saw two booted feet and as he looked up at the figure, he found himself face to face with Katara. For all his former hauteur, he now could not help but gulp slightly.

Katara's face was stern and her hands were folded as she looked down on him.

Zhao could think of nothing to say and so merely glared at her. But there was something different about his eyes now. There was still hate and anger but now, there was also fear.

"Did you think that I would let you off so easily after you destroyed my village and tried to kill everyone I loved?" Katara asked him, placing her hands in combat position.

Zhao managed to shakily get to his feet and he continued to glare at the waterbender before him. She waited for his reply.

"Filthy Water Tribe peasant!" the firebender yelled, managing to launch a small ball of fire from his fist.

Katara evaded this easily, shaking her head. She then, raised her arms and imprisoned her enemy in "chains" of water and ice.

Once Zhao was securely frozen to the ground, she looked at him once more.

The old firebender struggled but he was too exhausted to break away. His firebending was all but gone as well and he was clearly no match to a master waterbender who was powered by the light of the moon. He was almost completely covered in ice now and he could do nothing.

Katara looked at her defeated opponent with a mixture of disgust and pity. He was a far cry from the cruel, manipulative and controlling commander who had made them all miserable.

Now, he was but a weak and angry man, trapped and defeated.

Despite her victory, Katara did not feel completely satisfied. As much as she resented the man for making them all suffer, she was incapable of treating him the same way he had treated her.

She had considered taking him prisoner but she did not want to do that either.

And she was certainly not going to kill him.

Merciless vengeance was not in her nature and she felt herself at a loss for what to do.

--

Zuko opened his eyes and saw the relieved, smiling face of his uncle. He had recovered amazingly fast.

The young firebender blinked and instantly got up.

"Katara?" he asked urgently.

"She's fine," Iroh replied calmly, "the moon has given her renewed strength."

Zuko sighed with relief.

"Where is she?" he asked next. Iroh told him.

Slowly but surely, the firebender stood up and made his way to follow the waterbender.

Iroh did not bother protesting. The old man knew that it would not have made a difference anyway.

--

As Katara stood still and silent before the frozen figure of Zhao, the older firebender used the only weapon he had left – words.

He taunted and insulted her, accusing her of weakness and stupidity.

The waterbender remained composed, knowing that such words were useless against her.

"You've caught me now in your icy clutches, water witch," Zhao mocked her, "what are you waiting for? Finish me off!"

Katara looked at him coldly.

"I'm not like you," she replied gravely.

"Certainly not," he retorted haughtily, in spite of his condition, "for all your powers, you're just as frail and pathetic as the rest of your people."

"You have no right to speak to her that way!" a voice protested and to Katara's joy, Zuko was approaching them.

The young firebender gave a small smile at her before turning his angry gaze at Zhao.

Katara could not help but throw her arms around Zuko in relief and joy. The young prince returned the embrace.

Zhao rolled his eyes.

"Traitors and peasants," he muttered bitterly, "you sicken me."

Zuko broke away from the hug and turned to face the frozen firebender.

"You should consider yourself lucky you're still in one piece," the prince told Zhao.

"Hmmph," Zhao muttered in reply.

Zuko turned to Katara who seemed to be deep in thought.

"What do you plan to do with him?" Zuko asked.

Katara glanced once more at her captive.

At that moment, all of them felt a cool but powerful breeze blowing around them but it was no ordinary breeze. There was something mystical about it and in an instant Zuko and Katara realized what this meant.

"I shall leave him to the judgment of the Spirits," she answered simply.

Zuko nodded in understanding.

Zhao was about to fire a contemptuous comment about how primitive their line of thinking was when the ice around him began to glow.

Zuko and Katara took a few steps backward in reverence.

Behind Zhao rose a glowing, watery figure that resembled a large fish. The ice around Zhao seemed to be the creature's clutches and now the illuminated watery bonds around the cruel firebender seemed to tighten.

The eerie radiance crept around the firebender and Zhao was looking more and more nervous by the minute. As tendrils of light and water made their way around his body, ensnaring him further.

The commander began to wriggle free but all his efforts were in vain. He began shouting and crying in frustration and fear and demanded to be set free.

Zuko and Katara watched in mixed awe and horror as this occurred.

A deep, female voice was heard from the heavens as the radiant Ocean Spirit began to sink slowly back into the dark depths, taking Zhao gradually with him.

"You who have dared to wreak destruction and havoc on my people," the voice proclaimed, "you who have brought terror and haterd into their hearts by your actions, and you who would have used sacred knowledge to do unspeakable horrors..."

Zhao was now almost completely submerged in ice and water but he managed to extend one of his arms as a desperate, final cry for help.

Moved with pity, Zuko and Katara took a few steps towards him despite themselves.

But when Zhao saw those who were about to help him, he withdrew his hand stubbornly and turned away from them. Defiant to the last.

Zuko and Katara were shocked by such a response but realized that there was really nothing more they could do for him. Katara clutched at Zuko's hand as she watched their enemy being swallowed up by the Ocean Spirit.

"You shall pay the price dearly for these crimes," the voice announced, "and just as you showed no mercy to all your helpless victims, you will be given none."

There was a cold, hard silence that was pierced by Zhao's scream of horror as he sank completely into the ocean's dark abyss.

The icy floor glistened as it reflected the glow of the moonlight.

_It is time, _a voice echoed in their heads.

And at that moment, the two benders inexplicably knew what they had to do.

Together, they used their bending to return the ocean to its normal state.

--

One by one, the villagers clambered out of their hiding place and walked towards the wharf where all the action was taking place.

The remaining soldiers and members of Zhao's crew boarded their long boats and began to sail away from the South Pole. They had all been impressed by Zhao's fate and they all swore to Iroh that they would not speak of all they had seen there. They were good men and Iroh did not doubt their sincerity.

There wasn't as much snow on the ground anymore and the houses seemed surprisingly intact.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief to see their homes in order and the smaller children ran ahead to watch the show that was being put on by the two young benders as they restored the ocean together.

Kanna walked up to the front where Iroh and Sokka stood with proud smiles as they watched Katara and Zuko work together to break and melt the ice. The grandmother put a hand on her grandson's shoulder and Sokka smiled at her.

"Looks like we made it," Sokka said, heaving a huge sigh of relief.

"Indeed, we did," Iroh agreed, "indeed we did."

--

When they had broken and melted most of the ice, the two exhausted benders returned to the village where they were greeted by a jubilant crowd.

Countless hugs were exchanged among family members and friends. Cheers were shouted. There was much talk and laughter and joyful tears.

And before they knew it, the first rays of sun light streaked through the sky.

Dawn was breaking.

All of them stood in breathless silence, relishing the peace and marvelling at the beauty of the rising sun whose gentle light brought them renewed hope for the future.

Zuko and Katara stood close together, their hands clasped, fingers intertwined. The waterbender leaned her head on the firebender's shoulder as they watched the dawn break after a long, long night.

No words were needed.

Their hearts already knew.

And as they stood together at the beginning of another new day, an unspoken promise was forged between them, an undying vow to never ever part again, no matter what the future had in store for them.

From their place in the heavens, the Spirits looked down on the two brave and talented mortals, and were greatly pleased with what they saw.

The Spirits knew now that their charges were amply prepared for the longer journey that lay ahead of them, that which would determine the fate of the entire world.

Soon, very soon, Zuko and Katara would be called for their next and greatest mission.

But not just yet.

They needed some respite from their labors and some well-deserved rest after a long and arduous battle.

These two had endured countless trials and emerged stronger and wiser than they had ever been.

Tempests upon tempests had rained upon them but not once did they falter and never were they shaken.


	22. Epilogue

_By Tempests Never Shaken_

Disclaimer: Avatar:the Last Airbender duly belongs to Bryke. No profit is made from this story other than the sheer gratification of reviews.

**NOTE: You've all seen this coming. But humor me a while. **

**This last part is quite lighthearted since most of the story has been serious anyway. The charm in Avatar has always been its mix of humor and drama. And while that balance was not apparent in this story, I'd still like a little humor before we go.**

**And I have some little announcements at the end if you're interested in future works.**

**Thank you all.**

**EPILOGUE**

Weeks after the battle and there were still large remnants of ice from when the ocean froze over.

Things had settled down in the village and everyone was at last able to relax after the series of trials that had beset them. Life fell back into its familiar, comfortable pattern, and for the time being, no one wanted to think that it could be otherwise.

Sokka had taken greater responsibility for organizing the village and putting things in better order. He was no longer the smug and overconfident warrior chieftain which he had believed himself to be and yet, he was growing closer to becoming the wise and strong leader that his father was. Kanna and Katara were proud of how far he had grown.

The two firebenders continued to do their share in helping the villagers and leading simple lives although at night, the uncle and nephew would gravely discuss what course of action to take next. They were fairly certain that Zhao's soldiers would say nothing of their existence or of the attack on the South Pole.

However, it was only matter of time before they would have to face the realities of the war again. For now, they would try and come up with a plan.

This was the perfect time for the others to recuperate from injuries, rest from all hard labor, and simply enjoy the simple, quiet, undisturbed life.

But restless hearts never can be stilled.

And on this most auspicious morning, a pair of eager benders had sailed out to sea on the pretext of fixing the ice.

But of course, they really just wanted to get out of the confines of the village. They needed some time away to think about the future, about what they would do next.

Zuko and Katara were silent as they let their small boat be carried away by the slight current, enjoying the solitude and silence.

They had come to an even better understanding after the past series of events and it had become perfectly clear that what fate brought together no other force could tear asunder.

Whenever the two would be seen together in the village, everyone else would merely smile. There were other reactions as well. Some of the younger children would either snicker or pout with slight disgust at what their "older brother dragon" had reduced himself to.

Some of the older women would giggle like young girls and others would wink at Katara, always eliciting blushes from the waterbender.

Iroh would nudge his nephew every now and then causing Zuko to roll his eyes.

And secretly, Kanna and Iroh were already gleefully discussing the not so distant possibility of grandchildren/grand-nephews or nieces. At least there was one other good thing to expect after the war ends.

But such things were for the future.

For now, the two master benders busied themselves melting the remaining excess icebergs and talking of the amusing things that happened in the village.

Zuko and Sokka had continued their sword fights but this time Sokka acted more like a sport. And sometimes, the Water Tribe boy was lucky enough to have a draw with his opponent although Katara always suspected that Zuko was also trying to be kind to her brother.

The two benders had also engaged in duels of their own, showing their bending prowess in such elaborate displays that their sparring sessions were always like big shows for children and adults alike.

They talked of forming a strong force of resistance against the Fire Lord, of forging alliances with the Earth Kingdom, Northern Water Tribe, and Fire Nation deserters. Although the war had dragged on for so long, they felt hopeful about the future.

They just had a feeling that something was going to go right for them this time, but they could not be sure of what it would be.

But they trusted in the Spirits, who had proven to be on their side all along.

--

"AAAACHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"

Katara quickly jumped out of the way as a blast of fire hit the nearest iceberg, a huge mass that she had not even begun to melt.

"Well, that saves us some time," the waterbender remarked with amusement.

Zuko glared at her, rubbing his nose.

She then looked at him with some concern.

"Don't tell me you're coming down with a cold?" she asked.

The firebender immediately straightened up and folded his arms.

"Of course not," he replied adamantly.

Katara narrowed her eyes skeptically. His nose was looking a bit red.

"Are you sure?" she inquired further, "you have been tiring yourself out lately. Even if I've been telling you not to."

"It's no big deal, Katara, I'm fine."

"You just sneezed a fireball into a glacier."

"That's how firebenders sneeze."

"Come on, Zuko. You've been poisoned, unconscious, struck by lightning, and involved in a lot of heavy fighting and in severely cold weather that you aren't accustomed to. It's only natural if you come down with a cold."

"I think you underestimate my immune system."

"How could I? I've repaired it so many times already."

Zuko frowned at Katara's amusement. Unfortunately for him, he sneezed another fireball into the large glacier, melting a bit of the ice off.

"Let's just call it a day," the waterbender suggested.

"No, the sun's still up, we can still do some work."

"Just because you rise with the sun doesn't mean you have to work while it shines."

"This is nothing. We can still get things done."

"No. We're going back. Now."

"Stop treating me like a child."

"Stop acting like one."

"And when have I ever done that?"

"Ha? If I only had the time.."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zuko asked, still rubbing his itching nose.

"Oh, come on, Zuko, you can be so stubborn, pigheaded, immature, ..."

And as she struggled to complete the sentence, he interrupted her slyly.

"So are you," he said with a mischievous grin.

Caught off her guard, Katara raised her hands in exasperation and gave a soft growl.

In her emotion, she had inadvertently cracked the melted glacier in two, and as the large chunks of ice fell away, another large ice ball was revealed.

The two bender instantly forgot their argument and looked at each other in surprise.

The ice ball seemed to have two figures trapped in it. But Zuko and Katara could not clearly see what these were.

Although they had a pretty good idea.

They held each other's hands in excitement. The realization of all their hopes and dreams had been right in front of them, and they had been arguing like children.

"Oh, Zuko," Katara whispered excitedly, "could this really be him?"

"I have no doubt about it," Zuko replied with a smile.

And Katara instantly threw her arms around him with joy. Zuko's eyes widened slightly and returned the embrace before breaking away and pulling Katara towards the iceberg.

As they stood before it, they nodded to each other.

Unleashing a fury of firebending and waterbending, Zuko and Katara released the two prisoners from their icy dungeon.

Waves of water and ice washed upon them, which Katara easily diverted. Once all this had cleared, they waited in bated breath.

A small figure with glowing eyes slowly climbed out of the iceberg and then fainted and slid towards the two astonished benders.

Katara and Zuko rushed to his side.

There was no longer any doubt in their mind about what they would have to do. The mission was clear and they were determined to see it through to the end, together.

They understood that every road they had taken, all they had had to endure, everything led to this one, glorious moment.

So it happened that two smiling faces were the first things the young Avatar saw when he opened his eyes again after a hundred years.

-FIN-

_And so ends my own epic journey._

_The story that began in Germany, continued somewhat in Paris and London, now ends aptly back home, in good old Manila._

_I say this because I started writing this during my summer European tour and I am now back home, squeezing writing between school work._

_Again, a HUGE THANK YOU to all those who have supported this story._

_Bigger THANKS to those who have been reading my work since "Sojourn in Solitude" or even "A Path Strewn with Thorns." I really LOVE you all. And all your reviews have been the food to help me get through another story in spite of my hellish school year._

_This was hardly a perfect story, and shorter than my others. But still complete. I wanted a lighthearted pre-series Zutara but it turned out to be darker and more eventful than I had anticipated. I hope you enjoyed the ride, nevertheless._

_INSPIRATIONS:_

_You may have noticed these already from some of the chapters:_

_Pocahontas: the Spirits arc, the dream, a girl wanting more, love between two people from different worlds, specifically the songs "Listen with your Heart" and mostly "Just Around the Riverbend"._

_I just have to mention that a greater influence was the French version of "Just Around the Riverbend." The lyrics fit the story more, I think because they speak of waiting for an unknown voyager, of yearning for adventure and love, that comes only for the singer (Katara). For those who speak French:_

_Ce que je préfère dans les rivières,  
C'est que printemps, été ou hiver,  
Elles changent toujours d'humeur et de couleur.  
__**Mais combien de cœurs dans la nature,  
Ont rêvé d'aventure,  
**__En laissant fuir les années, sans se demander :_

_**Au détour de la rivière,  
Sera-t-il au détour de la rivière ?  
**__Bravant les flots,  
__**Ce voyageur de la mer,  
Sur son bateau.**__  
__**Et toujours je crois,  
Toujours j'espère,  
Que cet inconnu viendra.  
Au détour de la rivière ...  
Pour moi, rien que pour moi ...  
**__  
En badinant, le vent balade  
Des torrents de rires en cascade.  
__**Les tambours nuit et jour,  
Résonnent d'amour.  
Mais celui que je voudrais choisir,  
Pour construire l'avenir,  
Viendra-t-il de la terre,  
Ou du bleu des mers ?  
**__Au détour de la rivière ...  
Au détour de la rivière ..._

_**J'attends, j'espère,  
Qu'au détour de la rivière,  
Il sera là,  
Venant de la mer,  
Rien que pour moi,  
Dans un rêve de lumière.  
Au détour de la rivière ...  
Au détour de la rivière ...  
**__  
Faut-il éteindre la flamme,  
Dans le lit d'un fleuve calme,  
En épousant Kocoum,  
Pour ne plus rêver à cet homme ?  
__**Je voudrais tant m'évader, Voyageur,  
Sur la rivière de ton cœur... **_

_Once on this Island: specifically the song "Waiting for Life" and the interference of the Gods, the love story between two people from different ways of life_

_Mulan: the Avalanche (I wrote those chapters while listening to the soundtrack_

_And the inspiration for the title came from that great poet and a favorite of mine, William Wordsworth! (I am almost unworthy to mention his name!)_

_Here is the poem, if you care to read it:_

"to the moon "

Queen of the stars! - so gentle, so benign,  
That ancient Fable did to thee assign,  
When darkness creeping o'er thy silver brow  
Warned thee these upper regions to forego,  
Alternate empire in the shades below -  
A Bard, who, lately near the wide-spread sea  
Traversed by gleaming ships, looked up to thee  
With grateful thoughts, doth now thy rising hail  
From the close confines of a shadowy vale.

Glory of night, conspicuous yet serene,  
Nor less attractive when by glimpses seen  
Through cloudy umbrage, well might that fair face,  
And all those attributes of modest grace,  
In days when Fancy wrought unchecked by fear,  
Down to the green earth fetch thee from thy sphere,  
To sit in leafy woods by fountains clear!

O still beloved (for thine, meek Power, are charms  
That fascinate the very Babe in arms,  
While he, uplifted towards thee, laughs outright,  
Spreading his little palms in his glad Mother's sight)

O still beloved, once worshipped! Time, that frowns  
In his destructive flight on earthly crowns,  
Spares thy mild splendour; still those far-shot beams

Tremble on dancing waves and rippling streams  
With stainless touch, as chaste as when thy praise  
Was sung by Virgin-choirs in festal lays;  
And through dark trials still dost thou explore  
Thy way for increase punctual as of yore,  
When teeming Matrons - yielding to rude faith  
In mysteries of birth and life and death  
And painful struggle and deliverance - prayed  
Of thee to visit them with lenient aid.

What though the rites be swept away, the fanes  
Extinct that echoed to the votive strains;  
Yet thy mild aspect does not, cannot, cease  
Love to promote and purity and peace;  
And Fancy, unreproved, even yet may trace  
Faint types of suffering in thy beamless face.

Then silent Monitress! let us - not blind  
To worlds unthought of till the searching mind  
Of Science laid them open to mankind -  
Told, also, how the voiceless heavens declare  
God's glory; and acknowledging thy share  
In that blest charge; let us - without offence  
To aught of highest, holiest, influence -  
Receive whatever good 'tis given thee to dispense.

May sage and simple, catching with one eye  
The moral intimations of the sky,  
**Learn from thy course, where'er their own be taken,  
"To look on tempests, and be never shaken;" **

To keep with faithful step the appointed way  
Eclipsing or eclipsed, by night or day,  
And from example of thy monthly range  
Gently to brook decline and fatal change;  
Meek, patient, stedfast, and with loftier scope,  
Than thy revival yields, for gladsome hope!

_William Wordsworth __1770-1850_

_--_

_I really do not have the strength or time to make longer stories but you can be assured that I will keep writing._

_Especially if you keep reading._

_First off, the usual acknowledgments:_

_Thanks for adding this story to the C2 for "The Best Avatar Fics." I'm deeply flattered._

_Thank you to all those who ever reviewed this story: Kaydreams, zukoxluver, Manola3, xyzisme, Liooness, JJJ, Luiz4200, violet eyes, LiiLu, fortitude rising, NorthernLights25, Tara, merlyn1382, LinaStar, Kristoshi Warrior, Saucebender, janedoe401, spinners0end, Moussahijinx, zukoxluver, sokkantylee, lazyguy90, JC, BrilliantGreenEyes, something like human, thegypsy, funnyjunkie, Ogro, Midori Aoi, GalacticEmpireDragon, The Coyote, maybeSammy, Nani, dwelian, StarHarp, Reva, Natalia, Joseph Santiago, TheMightyErrg, ConnerK, mars, Darkness's Daughter, toby, Egyptian Kat, J, Tessa, Swim-in-Fire41, MrUley, artFULLYoutuvit, lady kae, Maladory Canrei, Rya Three Saber, NathanJames23, Aimracer, Ace, Riza44, the scatterbrained oracle, CandelaIncendiendo, Kafira Dalila, Kim, Maned WolfGoddess, Caellach Tiger Eye, dracula-key, King of the World500, Just-a-Reader, Mya84, K-naille, and Someone._

_Thank you for all the Story Alerts: -AlittleDifferentFromTheRest-, A Future Unknown Author, Aimracer, Aralys, ArrayePL, artFULLYoutuvit, Bonnie5572, boylover19, Bri285536, CandelaIncendiendo, Chibi Orochi-kun, crossxavier, DanceToTheCadence, Darkness's Daughter, dwelian, Egyptian Kat, Firelover92, Flying Through Infinity, fortitude rising, funnyjunkie, gred18850, HPGal3, ju97ju97, K-naille, Kafira Dalila, karrafear, Kaydreams, Kurodarkness, lalaland81985, love4anime, Lucrezia6565, Luiz4200, Maladory Canrei, Manola3, maybeSammy, merlyn1382, MetalBlade56, missaw, NathanJames23, newangel08, Ogro, phantomviola, Phenominal22, PurpleBalletSlippers, RachieM, Reiuko, Sandra Evans, Saucebender, Schwimmschik, shortness11cat5, slayerstoryguy, Smashing Stars, something like human, Sophophobic, Sylver Skye, The Coyote, thegypsy, varjak, whatsername911, xyzisme, Zatarafreak, Zorroami, zukoxluver, and zutararocks1416._

_Thank you for all the Favorites: -AlittleDifferentFromTheRest-, a blinding summer light, Alaksandra, Blackcat90, BlueHeavensAngel, Bonnie5572,BrilliantGreenEyes, charzar, Chibi Orochi-kun, Crystal Violeta, Damion Knight, daragon10, Darkness's Daughter, dracula-key, dwelian, Eswin, Firelover92, Foxflame, Geminidragon, Helen Racine, janedoe401, ju97ju97, K-naille, Kaydreams, King Of the World500, lady kae, Maned Wolf Goddess, Manola3, merlyn1382, MetalBlade56, Midori Aoi, MoonTears8, Moussahijinx, , NovaWolf, Okami no Yume, PhantomWriter2.0, roxxienica, Rya Three Saber, Sealed-Dynasty, skog2947, slayerstoryguy, sokkantylee, SweetFhawn, Zatarafreak, NorthernLights25, Ogro, Egyptian Kat, zukoxluver, and zutararocks1416._

_(Sorry if I mistyped your usernames and if I missed anyone.)_

_And thank you for those who added me to either Author Alert or Favorite Authors after reading this story._

_Thank you in advance to all those who review or add this story to your favorites even after I've completed the story._

_And special thank you to those who still supported my "Zutara Week 2009" entries even in the middle of this story._

_Next, the issue of a sequel. Definitely NONE. You all know basically what happens after this epilogue, albeit in a different way. The events will probably be similar to those in "An Alliance of Traitors"._

_And a sequel would essentially be a rewrite of the WHOLE SERIES. O_O No strength for that._

_So, sorry. No sequel at all to this one._

_BUT..._

_I will be posting a new story after this which will serve as a "companion piece" to this story. Not a sequel in the conventional sense of being a continuation of a story, but a story that contains similar themes but set in very different circumstances. Here are some things to expect (without spoilers):_

_Zutara (of course!)_

_set during and after "The Day of Black Sun"_

_more characters_

_Bitter!Katara (I'd like to write her again after writing so much of kind and gentle Katara in this one)_

_Katara healing Zuko (but it won't be easy or safe at all)_

_That's all I will be revealing._

_I will be posting a one-shot today called "A Flicker of Light". Set from an original character's point of view, it can stand on its own and also introduce my next story, sort of like a movie trailer._

_I don't know how soon the Prologue will be posted but you can be sure it will be within this month, so I hope you can check it out if you're interested._

_Updates I will try to work on as fast as I can but no guarantee that they can be very fast. I implore your patience, as usual, and I thank you for it. But I will see it through the end._

_In the meantime, I might be posting some one-shots for other fandoms as well as some long-needed updates for my other stories. You can be assured that I will always be writing._

_For the nth time, THANK YOU, everyone! That's pretty much all I can say._

_:)_


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